Definition

The quality of being overly sentimental or emotional in a way that is considered weak or sickly.

Example

The movie was criticized for its mawkishness, as it relied too heavily on tearful moments.

Conversation

Have you ever noticed the mawkishness in some romantic movies?

Yeah, it can be a bit too much sometimes.

Right? I prefer films that feel more genuine and less sappy.

Same here! A little emotion is good, but too much just feels fake.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Mawkishness → It is formed from 'mawkish' (from Middle English *mawkish*, meaning overly sentimental or sickly) and '-ness' (meaning the state or quality of). The word 'mawkishness' refers to the quality of being overly sentimental or having a sickly sweetness.

Memory Tip

Think of 'mawkish' as describing something that is overly sentimental or sickly sweet, and '-ness' indicates a state or quality. This helps you remember that 'mawkishness' is the state of being excessively sentimental.

Visually Confused Words