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Meaning & use

sappy

adjective·Everydayinformaldisapproving

Last updated

UK/ˈsæpi/
US/ˈsæpi/
Usage warning: this word is disapproving. It shows a negative opinion, so take care with who and what you use it about.

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparableinformaldisapproving

    Too sentimental or romantic, in a way that feels silly or exaggerated.

    Grammar: Used before a noun or after be: a sappy song; the ending was sappy.

    Patterns

    • a sappy movie
    • sappy about something

    I rolled my eyes at the sappy love song on the radio.

    The movie ended with a sappy speech about friendship.

    He gets sappy whenever he talks about his old school.

  2. adjectivecomparable

    Full of sap, as young plants and trees are.

    Grammar: Literal use for plants and wood; uncommon today.

    Patterns

    • sappy wood

    The sappy branches bent without breaking.

    Fresh pine is sappy and sticks to your hands.

    The sappy stems of the young maple dripped in spring.

  3. adjectivecomparableinformalold-fashioned

    Silly or foolish.

    Grammar: Rare and dated; usually replaced by sentimental in modern use.

    Don't be sappy; of course we can't just walk in.

    It was a sappy idea that never could have worked.

    He gave a sappy grin and said nothing.

Word forms

comparativesappier
superlativesappiest

Common combinations

sappy love story
She cried at the sappy love story anyway.
sappy ending
The film's sappy ending annoyed the critics.
sappy song
He sang a sappy song at the wedding.
sappy card
I found a sappy card from my aunt.
get sappy
He gets sappy after a few drinks.

Synonyms and how they differ

sentimental
Sentimental is neutral and can be positive, while sappy is usually mocking.
corny
Corny stresses old-fashioned, cheesy humor or sentiment, where sappy stresses too much emotion.
mushy
Mushy is a close informal synonym focused on gooey romantic feeling.
schmaltzy
Schmaltzy suggests overdone, syrupy emotion, especially in music or film.

Opposites

unsentimentalhard-nosed

Word family

sap noun
the liquid inside plants
sappiness noun
excessive sentimentality
sappily adverb
in an overly sentimental way

Commonly confused: sappy or sap?

sappy vs sap

A sap is also a gullible person; sappy is the adjective of sentimentality.

Practice

My brother says every romantic comedy is too ___ for him.

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