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
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
Ed refused to spoon Bob, and his gentle and emancipated soul would surely rebuff mawkish kindness.
—Daniel Felsenthal, The New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mawkish 
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
Ed refused to spoon Bob, and his gentle and emancipated soul would surely rebuff mawkish kindness.
—Daniel Felsenthal, The New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mawkish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mawkish
Adjective
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The paintings are far from sentimental keepsakes and instead often tell stories of similar loss and tragedy experienced by others, including the children depicted, who sometimes died young, or went on to live troubled lives.—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
15 Jan. 2025
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Some 12,000 structures — buildings and cars — have been destroyed so far, and with them many tons of property of all levels of sentimental meaning.—
Steven Zeitchik,
The Hollywood Reporter,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The word out of Arizona is that Kingsbury’s Cardinals teams were too often sloppy and undisciplined and that his full-team leadership skills and oversight have been lacking.—
Dan Wiederer,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2025
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In the unreliable reality the older Owen inhabits, his favorite childhood show was in fact silly, sloppy, and decidedly low-stakes.—
Samantha Allen,
Them,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The sticky oil can be applied directly to the belly and over right side of the abdomen, but holistic health enthusiasts like to soak a piece of cotton or flannel and apply heat for more intense delivery.—
Jessica Ourisman,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
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Like other Thai cities, Chiang Rai boasts its fair share of markets and night bazaars, where visitors can browse Thai handicrafts and sample khao soi (a curry noodle soup that’s a northern specialty) and mango sticky rice at their own pace.—
Tanvi Chheda,
AFAR Media,
17 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near mawkish
Cite this Entry
“Mawkish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mawkish. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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