cloying

[kloi-ing]

adjective

1. causing or tending to cause disgust or aversion through excess.

   a perfume of cloying sweetness.

2. overly ingratiating or sentimental.

cloying

/ ˈklɔɪɪŋ /

adjective

1. initially pleasurable or sweet but wearying in excess

Other Word Forms

• cloyingly adverb
• uncloying adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cloying¹

First recorded in 1540–50; cloy + -ing ²

Example Sentences

But she is bewildered by the sensory clashes and put off by the cloying sweetness.

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The results were rarely inedible, but often disconcerting: over-salted, over-spiced, somehow both cloying and sharp, like they couldn’t decide what they wanted to be.

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Conversely, you can also ignore the sugar aspect and cook down the cherries simply with just water — or, use a sugar-free substitute so there's still a touch of sweetness, but nothing too cloying.

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Brown sugar gives it a molasses depth and I hold back on the white sugar so things never veer into cloying.

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The filling has a surprising hint of salt, which cuts through the richness and prevents the donut from feeling cloying.

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Related Words

• gooey 
• saccharine 
• sappy 
• sentimental 
• sugary 
• syrupy