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Synonyms

gooey

American  
[goo-ee] / ˈgu i /

adjective

gooier, gooiest

  1. like or covered with goo; sticky; viscid.

  2. Informal. extremely sentimental or emotionally effusive.

gooey British  
/ ˈɡuːɪ /

adjective

  1. sticky, soft, and often sweet

  2. oversweet and sentimental

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • gooily adverb

Etymology

Origin of gooey

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10; goo + -ey 1

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.

You’ll encounter a kind of linguistic confetti: cakey, fudgy, moist, dense, rich, gooey, chewy.

From Salon • Mar. 5, 2026

When my spoon broke through the wobbly layer of cheesy bread and resurfaced all gooey and molten, the winter suddenly didn’t seem so bad.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

Each bite became its own surprise package: a tidy, glossy orb that burst when pulled apart, stretching cheese in gooey strings.

From Salon • Sep. 30, 2025

How does ancient philosophy squeeze into a gooey metaphor for codependence?

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 29, 2025

Even though it’s still gooey, we can see that it’s going to be perfect.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina

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.