kitschy
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of kitschy
First recorded in 1945–50; kitsch ( def. ) + -y 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Kitschy things are so extremely sentimental that they're a little ridiculous. Your grandma's paintings of big, sad-eyed clowns could be politely described as kitschy. While many kitschy things are considered to be in bad taste, vulgar, or gaudy, there are many who appreciate the emotional overkill of truly kitschy collectibles and art. If you're one of these people, you'll browse happily for hours in a kitschy thrift store, eventually leaving with a print of dogs playing poker or Elvis painted on velvet. Kitschy is from the German word kitsch, "gaudy" or "trash."
Vocabulary lists containing kitschy
List 10
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Instructions for Dancing
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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.
But if you can put aside its context and view “The Bride!” as a kitschy Halloween affair, a “Scooby-Doo Meets Frankenstein’s Bride” animated special come to life, it’s almost impossible not to crack a smile.
From Salon ● Jun. 10, 2026
The only “feelings you were allowed to have for your homeland were clichés, kitschy and prefabricated.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
Primm was once one of Nevada’s more popular gambling resorts, a less expensive, slightly more kitschy alternative to Las Vegas that benefited from being closer than Sin City.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026
The three-casino complex served as a less expensive, less flashy, slightly more kitschy alternative to Las Vegas that benefited from being a good 45 minutes closer to Los Angeles than Sin City.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026
Auntie Fatima marches around the table clockwise, making a sample bag to show us what we are aiming for: a muddle of cheap, kitschy candy.
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.
