schmaltz

American

[shmahlts, shmawlts] / ʃmɑlts, ʃmɔlts /

Also schmalz sometimes shmaltz

noun

Informal. exaggerated sentimentalism, as in music or soap operas.
liquid animal fat, especially of a chicken.

schmaltz British

/ ʃmɔːlts, ʃmælts /

noun

excessive sentimentality, esp in music
animal fat used in cooking

"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

Etymology

Origin of schmaltz

First recorded in 1930–35; from Yiddish shmalts or German Schmalz; cognate with smelt 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.

Balancing earnest schmaltz with sharp humor, the show works best as a hangout comedy about an extended friend group with dynamite chemistry, with echoes of previous Bill Lawrence shows like “Scrubs” and “Cougar Town.”

From MarketWatch • Dec. 31, 2025

The movie purports to dip into the deep well of Shakespearean magnificence but emerges only with a ladle full of greasy schmaltz.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

Repackaging the sounds of Queen and Elton John for the TikTok generation, it's efficient and catchy – though I'd avoid the saccharine Momma Song if you have an aversion to schmaltz.

From BBC • Jun. 15, 2025

Jimmy Cagney’s old schmaltz vehicle "Yankee Doodle Dandy" looks restrained by comparison.

From Salon • Sep. 7, 2024

I have developed a searing contempt for gushiness and schmaltz.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023