as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
a mawkish plea for donations to the charity
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Recent Examples of mawkish
Now, after the two men canoodle, there’s a mawkish finale meant to invoke purpose and principle.
—
Armond White, National Review, 26 July 2024
Most important is the songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, who might be a Broadway newcomer, but whose lyrics eschew the mawkish pitfalls in favor of simple, direct communication of intense but familiar emotions through melody and song.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2024
The Oscar shorts are made entirely out of scenes like these, but there is no context — just hours and hours of garish twists and mawkish sentiment.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2024
Based on the 2005 bestselling book, Marley & Me had the potential to come across as a mawkish tale of puppy love, but instead is told as a heartwarming story of friendship, loss, and letting go.
—Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 14 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for mawkish
Armond White, National Review, 26 July 2024
Most important is the songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, who might be a Broadway newcomer, but whose lyrics eschew the mawkish pitfalls in favor of simple, direct communication of intense but familiar emotions through melody and song.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2024
The Oscar shorts are made entirely out of scenes like these, but there is no context — just hours and hours of garish twists and mawkish sentiment.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2024
Based on the 2005 bestselling book, Marley & Me had the potential to come across as a mawkish tale of puppy love, but instead is told as a heartwarming story of friendship, loss, and letting go.
—Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 14 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for mawkish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mawkish
Adjective
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Left behind were a portrait of her grandmother, photographs of her family, jewelry, wardrobe and the less sentimental essentials of life, glasses for reading music, tax records, medicine, passports and car.—
Thomas Curwen,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2025
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As a pianist, Jarrett was like the soul brother of Rachmaninoff crossed with a sentimental free-jazz rhapsodist.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In the 24th minute, Mitchell senior captain Adam Naim, who had already been shown a yellow for dissent, was issued his second yellow for a sloppy tackle from behind and was sent off, forcing the Mustangs to play a man down for the rest of the match.—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2025
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Making the leads play to sloppy Boomer and Gen Z stereotypes is a slight to everyone involved, including the audience.—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The hit dating series promises some drama this season as the trailer shows contestants in some seemingly sticky situations.—
Vivian Kwarm,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2025
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Finish half the wings with Buffalo sauce and the rest with a sticky ginger-soy glaze.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appétit,
13 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mawkish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mawkish. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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