schmalzy

8.9

Being very emotional in a way that feels fake

adjective
/ˈʃmɔːlzi/

Informal

: sentimental

The movie was filled with schmalzy moments that made some viewers roll their eyes.

Examples

Many find the "One Shining Moment" videos to be too schmalzy.

Blog text (32)
"To any lover of Hank Williams and country music, Bennett's schmalzy pop 'cover' seems like the worst sort of bowdlerization, but Hank didn't see it that way."

Fiction book (1990)
Her love letter was so schmalzy that it sounded more like a script for a cheesy romance film.
He has a tendency to make schmalzy speeches that lack genuine emotion.

Synonyms

sentimental

vsschmalzy

165 4.5

Having strong warm feelings about people or things from the past, often too emotional

is more negative and stresses insincere, overdone emotion

cheesy

vsschmalzy

Informal

56 4.6

Feels too sentimental and silly, like a movie or card

is more about false, overacted emotion than simple cheapness

mushy

vsschmalzy

Informal

27 4.3

Showing too much emotion in a way that seems silly or fake

is more about insincere overacting than gentle softness

sappy

vsschmalzy

Offensive

23 7.0

Too emotional in a way that feels silly or fake

is more about deliberate overacting than mere silliness

hokey

vsschmalzy

Informal

23 8.2

Showing fake feeling and too much emotion

is more about emotional excess than mere artificial props

sloppy

vsschmalzy

22 3.7

Too emotional in a way that seems not sincere

is more deliberate and polished in its overdone insincerity

maudlin

vsschmalzy

8 8.0

Too emotional in a way that seems silly or not sincere

is more about theatrical showiness than private indulgence

kitschy

vsschmalzy

8 8.2

Too sentimental or brightly decorated and not in good taste

is more about insincere emotion than decorative bad taste

gushy

vsschmalzy

6 7.0

Showing too much emotion in a way that feels silly

is more about staged insincerity than open heartfelt display

saccharine

vsschmalzy

5 7.9

Being too sweet or emotional in a way that seems false

is more about insincere theatrical emotion than ingratiating sweetness

cloying

vsschmalzy

3 8.2

Too sweet or emotional in a way that makes you feel sick

is more about exaggerated insincere feeling rather than causing disgust

schmaltzy

vsschmalzy

Informal

2 8.7

Too emotional in a way that feels false or silly

is identical in meaning but differs in spelling

mawkish

vsschmalzy

2 9.4

Showing feelings that are not real and too sweet

is less sickly and more generally overdone emotionally

drippy

vsschmalzy

Offensive

1 7.9

Too emotional in a way that feels silly or fake

is more theatrical and intentionally overdone than merely embarrassing

soppy

vsschmalzy

1 5.8

Too emotional and sentimental in a way that seems silly

is similar but sounds more staged and overdone

slushy

vsschmalzy

1 5.4

Overly sentimental and emotional in a way that seems false

is more about insincere theatricality rather than mere shallowness

bathetic

vsschmalzy

Literature

1 9.9

Too sentimental in a way that feels fake or silly

is about insincere overacting rather than an attempted failed poignancy

too soppy

vsschmalzy

7.5

Showing strong, simple feelings in a way that seems fake

is more about insincere overacted emotion than sugary sweetness

gloppy

vsschmalzy

Informal

8.3

Too sweet and emotional so it feels false

is more about insincere emotional display than sticky sweetness

goopy

vsschmalzy

Informal

7.6

Too emotional and sweet in a way that feels fake

is more focused on insincere overacting than mere sweetness

slobbery

vsschmalzy

Informal

4.9

Too sentimental and not sincere

is less openly dramatic and more precisely overacted insincerity

a bit hokey

vsschmalzy

Informal

8.4

A little silly and too sentimental, feeling fake

is stronger and more clearly insincere and overdone

soupy

vsschmalzy

Literature

6.8

Being too emotional in a cheap, false way

is used more generally for insincere overacting beyond art

marshmallowy

vsschmalzy

Informal

6.3

Too sweet and sentimental in tone or style

is sharper, stressing insincere overacting rather than softness

overly sugary

vsschmalzy

3.7

Having too much sugar in taste or feeling too emotional

is less about sweetness and more about staged insincerity

Antonyms

authentic

218 3.8

Something that is real and trustworthy, not a fake

subdued

11 5.5

Quiet and controlled in voice or actions, not noisy

How Sentimental

mawkish

2 9.4

cloying

3 8.2

schmalzy

Informal

8.9

sentimental

165 4.5

Surface Forms

schmalzy positive

Morphology

schmalzy = schmaltz (transparent) = schmaltz + y

Formed by the noun 'schmaltz' (meaning excessive sentimentality) plus the adjectival suffix '-y', so the adjective directly describes something characterized by schmaltz.

Etymology

The word schmalzy comes from the Yiddish and German word schmaltz, which means 'chicken fat' and later came to mean 'too much feeling'. Think of something covered in greasy fat or syrup, too sticky and over the top. That's why schmalzy describes songs, movies, or letters that feel overly sweet or emotional.