cheesy

American  

[chee-zee] / ˈtʃi zi /

adjective

cheesier, cheesiest

1. of or like cheese.

   a cheesy aroma; a cheesy taste.

2. Slang. inferior or cheap; chintzy.

   The movie's special effects are cheesy and unconvincing.

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cheesy British  

/ ˈtʃiːzɪ /

adjective

1. like cheese in flavour, smell, or consistency

2. informal (of a smile) broad but possibly insincere

   a big cheesy grin

3. informal banal or trite; in poor taste

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Other Word Forms

• cheesily adverb
• cheesiness noun

Etymology

Origin of cheesy

1350–1400; Middle English. See cheese ¹, -y ¹

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

Dan directed a moderately successful sci-fi film several years ago but is now stuck shooting cheesy pop-up ads.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

Every meal begins with a basket of hot, fresh pão de queijo—chewy, cheesy, and hard to stop eating.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 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

"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

Long before President Nixon met his Waterloo over the Watergate burglary, he escaped from another tight spot with a magisterial speech, at the heart of which was a nakedly cheesy pathos appeal.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith