Synonyms

schmaltzy

American

[shmahlt-see, shmawlt-] / ˈʃmɑlt si, ˈʃmɔlt- /

Sometimes shmaltzy also schmalzy

adjective

Informal.

schmaltzier, schmaltziest

of, relating to, or characterized by schmaltz, or exaggerated sentimentalism.

schmaltzy British

/ ʃmɔːltsɪ, ʃmæltsɪ /

adjective

excessively 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

Etymology

Origin of schmaltzy

First recorded in 1930–35; schmaltz + -y ¹

Vocabulary lists containing schmaltzy

"Men Are Becoming the Ad Target of the Gender Sneer" and "Guys and Dolls No More?"

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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.

Schmaltzy music and fuzzy pictures give a hard tug at the heartstrings, and footage of Perry missing shots on an empty court is frequently deployed as a superficial visual metaphor for hardship.

From New York Times • Nov. 16, 2021

EL: We're sharing your Schmaltzy Chex Mix with our readers.

From Salon • May 17, 2021

Schmaltzy tales might be the last thing American and Western audiences might expect to emerge from the Sahel, but that’s precisely the point.

From Time • Feb. 3, 2016

Schmaltzy covers – like Blue Suede Shoes and Fever – confirm the party atmosphere of these revival gigs, crowding out the dour messages of the more hard-hitting songs.

From The Guardian • Nov. 18, 2012

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