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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sappy
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
Hardly a masterpiece and certainly not a sappy, populist embarrassment, The Shawshank Redemption is simply a solid, good movie — an assessment that will probably annoy people in both camps.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
The sappy Lifetime original is just the latest in the chain's social media marketing strategy.
—Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 21 Feb. 2025
Into a routine casting call one afternoon walks Michael, an Ohio ice-cream truck driver effusing sappy memories of watching the series every morning with his family over bacon and eggs.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for sappy
Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 8 Mar. 2025
Hardly a masterpiece and certainly not a sappy, populist embarrassment, The Shawshank Redemption is simply a solid, good movie — an assessment that will probably annoy people in both camps.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
The sappy Lifetime original is just the latest in the chain's social media marketing strategy.
—Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 21 Feb. 2025
Into a routine casting call one afternoon walks Michael, an Ohio ice-cream truck driver effusing sappy memories of watching the series every morning with his family over bacon and eggs.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for sappy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sappy
Adjective
-
Locals are sentimental about the happy, drunken teen graduates, who are thanked by strangers for their future contributions to Denmark.—
Sarah Larson,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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The conceit is inherently crowdpleasing — a man stumbling into strangers’ lives and finding unexpected connection — but Hikari steers it with earnestness, elevating it beyond sentimental comedy.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Many kids find repeating these phrases satisfying, or silly, or just plain fun to say, Estevez says.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
8 Sep. 2025
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There are no silly games being played.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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According to San Angelo, some signs of a dirty microwave filter include if they are discolored, sticky, and/or sometimes smell like grease.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
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Sapodilla, a pear-like fruit that looks like a coconut, adds a malty butterscotch intensity to a sticky toffee pudding.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The recent rash of CEOs Gone Wild is arguably even stupider than commonplace fraud, and a troubling sign that there continues to be a slippery slope of accountability for C-Suite leadership.—
Ian Chaffee,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
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The accounts team logs in right on time, and the stupid dance of platitudes that precedes every meeting at every company around the world begins.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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According to Amazon reviews, the material is soft with just the right amount of stretch, while the fit is roomy without looking sloppy.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
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In that high‑tempo, but sloppy matchup, the Wildcats fell 46‑24, with Mari Adams, a top running back, contributing heavily on the ground and showing flashes of explosive play.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But giving someone as historically great as Derrick Henry added motivation, certainly may prove to be a foolish decision from Delpit.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
-
There’s highly capable support in the cast from the unfailingly superb Vázquez, emanating gravitas, humanity and barely contained anger at the increasing frequency and spread of wildfires and the foolish refusal of those in power to address the growing threat.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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There’s no denying that catfish noodling is an absurd sport.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
11 Sep. 2025
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Barely any other media in recent times has given me an instant shock of glee or revulsion like this absurd anarcho-cartoon being stretched and squeezed to its most grotesque and wholesome clickbait limits.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Jared has a constant calmness about how crazy the day is.—
Demetrius Patterson,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Sep. 2025
-
This is my second Moon Man, which feels so crazy!—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sappy. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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