Cloying
/ˈklɔɪɪŋ/
adjectiveC1present participle (used as adjective)
Definition
Cloying means something is so sweet or rich that it becomes too much and makes you feel uncomfortable or bored. It is often used for food, smells, or feelings that start nice but then feel heavy or too much if you have too much of them.
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See It in Action
Too sweet or rich in taste or smell, causing discomfort
- •The dessert was delicious at first but became cloying after a few bites.
- •The perfume was cloying and gave me a headache.
- •The sauce was cloying with too much sugar.
Too emotional or sentimental in a way that feels unpleasant or fake
- •The movie was cloying with too many romantic scenes.
- •His cloying compliments made her feel uncomfortable.
- •The book’s ending was cloying and predictable.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "cloying" like "sweet," but TOO SWEET, so it stops being nice and feels heavy or sickening
- ✓Picture eating a very sugary cake that at first tastes good but after a few bites feels too much and makes you want to stop
- ✓It's the feeling when someone is too nice or loving in a way that feels fake or too much, making you uncomfortable
- ✓Sounds like "cloy" → imagine a "cloyed" (closed) mouth that can’t enjoy more sweetness because it’s too much
- ✓Think of a story where a character gives too many compliments and it feels fake and tiring, not warm and happy
- ✓NOT like "sweet" (pleasant and light), "cloying" is an extreme, heavy sweetness or emotion that overwhelms
- ✓NOT like "nice" (simple kindness), "cloying" is too much kindness or emotion, almost annoying or fake
Try Other Words
- •Sickly: unpleasantly sweet or rich (Use when the sweetness or emotion feels very strong and makes you feel bad)
- •Overly sentimental: too emotional in a way that feels fake (Use when talking about feelings or stories that are too emotional)
- •Rich: very full or heavy in taste or feeling (Use when food or emotion is very strong but not necessarily unpleasant)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "cloy" (root verb meaning to disgust by excess sweetness) + "-ing" (making it an adjective describing a continuing state)
- •Etymology: From Old French "cloier," meaning to sicken or disgust by sweetness or excess
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe food or drink that is too sweet, later extended to feelings or styles that are too much
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe tastes, smells, or emotions that are too strong and unpleasant because of excess
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be too nice or sweet? How can you tell if it is cloying or just pleasant?
•How does the idea of cloying help you understand when to stop or slow down in food, emotions, or behavior?
Fill in the blanks
1.The chocolate cake was delicious but became cloying after ___ too many bites.
2.Her cloying compliments made the conversation feel ___ and uncomfortable.
3.Unlike a fresh scent, the perfume was cloying because it was ___ sweet and heavy.
4.The movie’s ending was cloying, filled with ___ romantic moments that felt fake.
5.When food is cloying, it usually has ___ sugar or richness that makes you want to stop eating.
6.He tried to be kind, but his words became cloying because they were too ___ and repeated.
7.A cloying smell often stays ___ for a long time and becomes unpleasant.