schmaltz

noun [U] (also schmalz)

/ʃmɒlts/

/ʃmɑːlts/ informal disapproving

Definition

› artistic works, such as music or writing, that are intended to cause strong sad or romantic feelings but have no real artistic value: Her second album was pure schmaltz.Sentimental and over-emotional schmaltzy (also schmalzy)

/ˈʃmɒlt.si/

/ˈʃmɑːlt-/ adjective › schmaltzy love songsSentimental and over-emotional

(Definition of schmaltz noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

+ Free Dictionary Toolbar for Browsers
+ Add Dictionary Search to iGoogle and your website

+ Become a fan on Facebook
+ Follow us on Twitter!

Browse the Dictionary

schizophrenic noun
schlep noun
schlep verb
schlock noun
schlub noun
schmaltz noun
schmooze verb
schmuck noun
schnapps noun
schnitzel noun
schnozz noun

Browse the Thesaurus

Business
Clothes
Education
Finance
Light and colour
Personal care

SMART Thesaurus

Synonyms and related words:

cloying adjective (TOO SWEET)
mawkish adjective
mush noun (BOOK/FILM)
mushy adjective (EMOTIONAL)
sappy adjective
sentimental adjective
sickly adjective (TOO EMOTIONAL)
sloppy adjective (EMOTIONAL)
slush noun (ROMANTIC LANGUAGE)
slushy adjective (ROMANTIC LANGUAGE)
soppy adjective
syrupy adjective
treacly adjective (FEELINGS)

Topic: Sentimental and over-emotional

Our dictionaries

British English
American English
Business English
Learner's Dictionary
Essential British English
Essential American English
English-Spanish
Español-inglés
English-Turkish

Word of the Day

everything under the sun

everything that exists or is possible

Word of the Day ►

Blog

Read our blog about how the English language behaves.

Learn More ►

New Words

Find words and meanings that have just started to be used in English, and let us know what you think of them.