1
as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
a sappy letter filled with silly romantic clichés
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in silly
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
a sappy plan to try to get her divorced parents back together again
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sappy
With a pair of catwalks jutting from the oval stage, the guys roam into the crowd, all while hitting their dance moves, and blending their upbeat pop anthems with the sappier ballads that made them into a heartthrob collective.
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Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
Sure, the film wades into soap opera-esque territory more than once — especially with the predictably sappy ending — but the at-times unusual and always heartfelt family dynamic between Bill, Erica, Samantha, and Rusty still rings true.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 10 Aug. 2025
Without succumbing to a sappy ending, Reza makes a strong case for valuing relationships over intellectual homogeneity — an outlook that can feel either naïve or hopeful in polarizing times.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
This has reflected neither sappy altruism nor cynical neoimperialism but an understanding that in the modern world, economics and security need to be handled at something beyond the national level.
—Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sappy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sappy
Adjective
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That verisimilitude functioned as a solvent, lending credibility and urgency to elements of the show that might otherwise register as pure cheese; the medical realism and sentimental flourishes were mutually reinforcing.—
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Kitsch without meaning is just clutter, so take your time building a look that feels sentimental and nostalgic to really nail the style.—
Adjective
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To say the road to the Super Bowl goes through Jacksonville sounds silly in the NFL’s grand scheme, but for a talented and decorated Bills group that never has won there, that’s the first stop on the quest.—
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Citing the Monroe Doctrine is silly.—
Adjective
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Cramer said strong signs from forwarding holiday spending suggest inflation may remain sticky, setting up tension between a president eager to contain prices and consumers who have borne the brunt of inflation.—
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To keep a tension rod from slipping, look for rods that have rubber stoppers on the ends or that come with sticky wall brackets.—
Adjective
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In tribute to Michael Keane’s hair-pulling on Wednesday, Cerys Jones picked through the stupidest dismissals in Premier League history.—
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To do a lot less foolish, thoughtless, stupid, idiotic things.—
Adjective
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The soft knit fabric drapes just right, giving that relaxed vibe without looking sloppy.—
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Practice had been a bit a sloppy at times, but San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher had a wide smile anyway Thursday afternoon.—
Adjective
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To do a lot less foolish, thoughtless, stupid, idiotic things.—
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No one should be defending activists who engage in the most foolish and dangerous actions!—
Adjective
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After the first Roundtable, Survivor stalwart Rob Cesternino — perhaps clued in by Candiace’s absurd conga line ploy to get people out of the kitchen — sniffed out that a murder in plain sight could be happening.—
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Contrary to what many may think, the researchers found no correlation between a person’s level of education and their capacity to believe in absurd conspiracies.—
Adjective
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Peterson’s 30-plus point scoring output (on 8-of-18 shooting, 3-of-8 from 3, 13-15 from line) helped make possible a crazy comeback victory.—
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Or at least the craziest until Malinin began doing on ice back flips during the 2024-25 season after the International Skating Union, the sport’s global governing body, lifted a ban on the stunt.—
Cite this Entry
“Sappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sappy. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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