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syrupy voice

syrupy voice

6.7
A voice that sounds too sweet and not sincere
  • noun
  • /ˈsɪrəpi vɔɪs/
translation icon : voz empalagosa
  • Martin used his syrupy voice to charm everyone at the party.

Examples

  • Her syrupy voice dripped with insincerity as she complimented his work.

  • "Come ON, Louis," Martin wheedled into the phone in his most syrupy voice.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The sales clerk spoke in a syrupy voice, trying to convince me to buy the dress.

Synonyms

sentimentality
vssyrupy voice
17 5.5

A way of showing too much emotion that seems false

is specifically about a person's sound expressing sweet insincerity
mush
vssyrupy voice
  • Informal
15 8.0

Very sentimental writing or music that feels too sweet

is about a person's sound being sweet rather than written or musical style
schmaltz
vssyrupy voice
4 9.5

An overly emotional style in art like songs or films

is used for one person's sound rather than broad artistic feeling
saccharine tone
vssyrupy voice
1 8.4

A way of speaking or writing that sounds too sweet and not real

is the same feeling but focuses on an individual person's sound
smarminess
vssyrupy voice
  • Informal
1 9.2

Too much praise that tries to make people like you

is more focused on sweet emotion and sincere warmth than calculated praise
mawkishness
vssyrupy voice
1 9.5

A feeling of too much fake emotion that seems overly sweet

focuses on an individual's overly sweet sound rather than general false feeling
sappiness
vssyrupy voice
  • Informal
1 6.3

Being too emotional in a way that seems not sincere

refers to an individual sound that is sweet and aims to please listeners
unctuous tone
vssyrupy voice
9.3

A way of speaking that is too friendly and seems not sincere

is more about sweet sentiment and warmth than insincere flattery
drippiness
vssyrupy voice
9.6

A feeling that is too emotional and seems false

is about a single person's overly sweet manner of speaking, not general feeling
soupiness
vssyrupy voice
  • Literature
8.3

A feeling that is too emotional in a story or film

is focused on a person's speaking sound not on art or written works

Antonyms

883 4.4

Unfriendly and distant in feeling or action

42 4.3

Serious and strict, not willing to change

16 5.7

A rough, low voice or way of acting that sounds unfriendly

How Sweet

syrupy voice
6.7
sweet
58 1.1

Surface Forms

syrupy voice singular
syrupy voices plural

Morphology

syrupy + voice

The adjective 'syrupy' (excessively sweet, cloying) applied to 'voice' yields a directly compositional meaning: a voice that sounds overly sweet, sentimental, or ingratiating. This adjective+noun pattern is a transparent metaphorical extension that a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer.

Etymology

Syrupy voice compares a voice to thick, sweet syrup that pours slowly and feels sticky. So a syrupy voice means someone sounds 'too sweet' or 'not sincere' because it seems they are trying too hard to please.