1
: something that appeals to popular or lowbrow taste and is often of poor quality
2
: a tacky or lowbrow quality or condition
teetering on the brink of kitsch—
Ron Miller
Ron Miller
Did you know?
Kitsch is an early 20th-century borrowing from German, and it refers to things in the realm of popular culture that are tacky, like car mirror dice, plastic flamingos, and dashboard hula dancers.
Examples of kitsch in a Sentence
The restaurant is decorated with 1950s furniture and kitsch from old TV shows.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ed Wood is clearly the precedent for Big Eyes’ amused examination of kitsch art — Margaret’s paintings were popular but critically derided — but Burton honestly engages with the material, pondering how commerce and creativity intersect.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2024
While some fans loved this unabashed display of French camp and kitsch, others — particularly those who espouse conservative or Christian beliefs — were not happy with it.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 27 July 2024
Music supervisor Jim Black papers the soundtrack with the kinds of pre-rock kitsch (by Guy Lombardo, Paul Whiteman, Frankie Laine, Doris Day, Henry Mancini et al.) that lend both nostalgic bounce and a winking ironic gloss to proceedings.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024
Nail artist Marnie’s pearly, high-shine design manages to make bandages look pretty — without feeling kitsch.
—Mica Ricketts, refinery29.com, 10 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for kitsch 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Will Leitch, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2024
While some fans loved this unabashed display of French camp and kitsch, others — particularly those who espouse conservative or Christian beliefs — were not happy with it.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 27 July 2024
Music supervisor Jim Black papers the soundtrack with the kinds of pre-rock kitsch (by Guy Lombardo, Paul Whiteman, Frankie Laine, Doris Day, Henry Mancini et al.) that lend both nostalgic bounce and a winking ironic gloss to proceedings.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024
Nail artist Marnie’s pearly, high-shine design manages to make bandages look pretty — without feeling kitsch.
—Mica Ricketts, refinery29.com, 10 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for kitsch
Dictionary Entries Near kitsch
Cite this Entry
“Kitsch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kitsch. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share