Meaning & use
cheugy
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Meaning
adjectivecomparableslangdisapproving
Trying too hard to be fashionable and now seen as out of date or basic, especially in style or taste.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after be: a cheugy outfit, that top is cheugy.
Patterns
- be cheugy
- look cheugy
- a cheugy something
My sister says my glittery phone case is cheugy.
They thought the matching family sweaters were a little cheugy.
Wall signs with inspirational quotes now look cheugy to many people.
Word forms
| comparative | cheugier |
|---|---|
| superlative | cheugiest |
Common combinations
- totally cheugy
- That song is totally cheugy now.
- a bit cheugy
- The lettering on the mug is a bit cheugy.
- cheugy fashion
- Cheugy fashion trends often come back years later.
- call something cheugy
- Don't call my favorite shirt cheugy.
- look cheugy
- That filter makes the photo look cheugy.
Synonyms and how they differ
- basic
- Basic means ordinary and unoriginal, while cheugy points specifically to trying too hard and being behind the trend.
- outdated
- Outdated is a neutral word for old-fashioned things, while cheugy is a teasing slang judgment about style.
- uncool
- Uncool is broader and can describe anything unpopular, whereas cheugy is mostly about fashion and trends.
- tacky
- Tacky means cheap-looking or in poor taste, but a cheugy thing is more likely just stale and overly trendy.
Opposites
Word family
- cheugy-ness noun
- the quality of being cheugy, used informally
Commonly confused: cheugy or cheesy?
cheugy vs cheesy
Cheesy means corny or obviously insincere, whereas cheugy is about being a dated trend-chaser; the words sound somewhat alike.
Practice
Which sentence uses cheugy in the way young people typically mean it?
Choose one answer.
Cheugy describes style that tries too hard and is out of date. The other sentences give it meanings it does not have.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cheugy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.