cheesy
Americanadjective
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of or like cheese.
a cheesy aroma; a cheesy taste.
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Slang. inferior or cheap; chintzy.
The movie's special effects are cheesy and unconvincing.
adjective
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like cheese in flavour, smell, or consistency
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informal (of a smile) broad but possibly insincere
a big cheesy grin
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informal banal or trite; in poor taste
Other Word Forms
- cheesily adverb
- cheesiness noun
Etymology
Origin of cheesy
Explanation
Use the word cheesy to describe something that's cheap or badly made. You might hope your fake Rolex watch will impress your friends, but they're bound to see how cheesy it is. A really horrible motel room, with shag carpeting and strange art on the walls, can be described as cheesy, and so can a badly-written, sloppily made television movie. Cheesy is a great informal way to talk about shoddy or slightly unpleasant things. It comes from late 1800's United States university student slang, which also included the term cheese, which meant "ignorant, stupid person."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Breakfast was porridge with bananas and peanut butter, while lunch was "usually a massive plate of rice with marmite with two eggs, or cheesy fried potatoes with eggs and veg".
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
Mr. Sokolov styles his work as an homage to 1970s grindhouse cinema, complete with cheesy sound effects, slo-motion, and grandiose musical cues.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
Soups, stews, cheesy casseroles and creamy mashed potatoes are just a few popular options that come to mind.
From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026
"So just know, it's nothing cheesy coming out. It ain't no obvious choices. I think it's going to be something that feels honest," he added.
From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026
And then he grows quiet, not daring to let his mouth take over, say something cheesy and ruin the moment.
From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
