cheesy
Americanadjective
-
cheesier,
comparative
-
cheesiest
superlative
-
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
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.
See Examples For:
Taco Bell’s Luxe Value Menu offers 10 items for $3 or less, including a spicy potato soft taco for $1.69 and a cheesy bean and rice burrito for $1.89.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
Start a new crossword streak: What’s an 11-letter word for a cheesy polyester ’fit?
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
In a nation that doesn't care much for soccer, vast crowds sang the cheesy, sunny song "Country Roads" to motivate their heroes.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
“I don’t want my kids to get the idea that they should be afraid of summer, but I also don’t want to have, like, cheesy surfing werewolves be a thing.”
From Salon ● Jun. 30, 2026
I stop myself before I get too cheesy.
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
Even when I was 9, Presley struck me as embarrassingly grandiose and cheesier than Wisconsin.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026
I think I’m good for another 10 years, at which time I’ll probably have to choose a different location, lest I risk making that particular spot even Swiss cheesier.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 21, 2022
“I’m a sucker for Christmas movies — the cheesier the better. But we’ve had enough of that regular, boring formula,” Visage said in a phone interview.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 29, 2021
They're fluffier, pillowier, and cheesier, thanks to a combination of cream cheese and ricotta.
From Salon ● Nov. 27, 2021
It was cheesier than a wheel of brie - and prompted the NFL to adopt a more modern approach.
From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2017
“That was the cheesiest, dumbest line, but the absolute best line in that whole thing,” cracked Blaney’s best friend, Bubba Wallace.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 15, 2024
And in the sappiest, cheesiest way, I believe this is how love stories work.
From Salon ● Feb. 14, 2024
“Bad Cinderella” is the cheesiest and crudest of the lot.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 24, 2023
At lunch they also spoke about recent trips to Croatia, and playfully got onto the topic of the cheesiest pickup lines they ever heard.
From New York Times ● Jul. 10, 2020
How did I blurt out the cheesiest pickup line in existence?
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
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.
