corny

¹ American  

[kawr-nee] / ˈkɔr ni /

adjective

cornier, corniest

1. of or abounding in corn.

2. Informal.

   1. old-fashioned, trite, or lacking in subtlety.

      corny jokes.

   2. mawkishly sentimental.

      a corny soap opera.

   Synonyms:

   stale, banal, hackneyed

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corny ² American  

[kawr-nee] / ˈkɔr ni /

adjective

cornier, corniest

1. pertaining to or affected with corns of the feet.

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corny British  

/ ˈkɔːnɪ /

adjective

1. trite or banal

2. sentimental or mawkish

3. abounding in corn

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Other Word Forms

• cornily adverb
• corniness noun

Etymology

Origin of corny¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; 1930–35 corny ¹ for def. 2; Middle English; corn ¹ + -y ¹

Origin of corny²

First recorded in 1700–10; corn ² + -y ¹

Explanation

If your Uncle Marvin has a habit of telling corny jokes, they probably make you groan every single time. Corny describes something that's either worn out and tiresome or overly sentimental — and sometimes both. It can be hard to talk about something emotional without becoming corny. Try describing love at first sight without becoming trite or stickily sentimental and you'll know first-hand how easily you can find yourself sounding corny. For years corny simply meant "full of corn," or "tasting of malt." Sometime in the 1930s it became popular slang meaning "appealing to country folk," who were also described at the time as corn-fed, because of their supposed connection to farms.

Example Sentences

That has tended to be less effective, though, as much of the music is perceived as corny to those who aren’t living in a Christian fundamentalist environment.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026

But, while she may no longer feel able to wear the T-shirt which inspired her "corny" spur-of-the-moment quote, it has since become clear that the impact was worth the sacrifice.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

“Not to get corny, but I’m the dad here and I’ve got to say just this one thing,” he adds, a growing swell of emotion in his voice.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

It feels kinda corny, if I’m being honest.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026

Old-timers would lean against the corny papier-mache coral reef, sip their drinks, and mutter about the jovenes.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

Related Words

• banal
• dull
• hackneyed
• kitschy
• mawkish
• melodramatic
• old-fashioned
• sentimental
• stale