mushy
Americanadjective
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resembling mush; pulpy.
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Informal. overly emotional or sentimental.
mushy love letters.
adjective
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soft and pulpy
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informal excessively sentimental or emotional
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of mushy
Explanation
You might use the adjective mushy to describe an overripe banana or a tear-jerker of a commercial. Either way, it describes something soft. Mushy is a good word for talking about something that's doughy or pulpy, whether it's a hunk of modeling clay or your out-of-shape belly. Another way to use mushy is to mean sticky and sentimental, like a mushy love scene in a terrible movie or a mushy greeting card. Either way, the word comes from mush, or porridge, which originated from mash, or "soft mixture."
Vocabulary lists containing mushy
Sickly Sweet Treats: Sappy and Insincere Valentine Words
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The Catcher in the Rye
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Words to Know Before You Defrost the Bird
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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.
It followed pupils like Musharaf "Mushy" Asghar, who was helped by his English teacher to overcome his acute stutter.
From BBC • Jan. 21, 2015
I know we lamented Mushy LaGuerta earlier, but I like her rogue side.
From Slate • Oct. 1, 2012
He's not stumped, although it was some smart glovework by Mushy.
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2011
Mushy pieces of calamari seemed more boiled than grilled, leaving their bed of dressed mixed greens to steal the show.
From New York Times • Jul. 9, 2010
“Porridge? Mushy peas? Pablum? Oh, let me guess, it’s tapioca isn’t it? Is it tapioca? Or are we calling it rice pudding tonight?”
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
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.
