mawkish

adjective

ˈmȯ-kish How to pronounce mawkish (audio)
Definition of mawkishnext
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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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of mawkish Knight’s directorial debut never tips over into mawkish but has some unashamedly tender moments. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026 After a mawkish beginning, the play somewhat redeems itself through earned emotions and an ambiguous ending that begs discussion. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 June 2025 Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, jailed and banned frequently, has never allowed his work to get mawkish. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025 If that line of reasoning is too mawkish and bleeding-heart for your taste, Worsley makes a more pragmatic argument for a generous, welcoming immigration policy, one unsentimentally rooted in cold dollars and cents. — Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for mawkish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mawkish
  1. sentimental
  2. sloppy
  3. sticky
Adjective
  • Both my wife and I have been through the loss of our parents and found the following method has worked very well for dividing up sentimental possessions among the many brothers and sisters on both sides of the family.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Family members sometimes leave jewelry and other sentimental items inside the niches with those remains.
    — WPEC Staff, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of sentimental
Adjective
  • Detroit got a pair of first-half field goals from Jake Bates on a sloppy night for the offense.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Appeal rates also fell slightly, suggesting faster resolution wasn’t leading to sloppier decisions.
    — Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of sloppy
Adjective
  • If the dough is too sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Apartments with sticky floors and landlords absentee enough not to notice, or care, if a living room became a mosh pit.
    — Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of sticky

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mawkish
mawkishness
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Cite this Entry

“Mawkish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mawkish. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mawkish

Nglish: Translation of mawkish for Spanish Speakers

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