Mawkish

Pro Tip 1/3

Overdone Emotion

Use 'mawkish' to describe emotions that seem exaggerated or too intense to be real.

The movie's mawkish portrayal of love was hard to take seriously.

Pro Tip 2/3

Negative Tone

'Mawkish' often implies a negative reaction; people usually don't like things that seem insincerely emotional.

The speech was so mawkish that it made the audience cringe.

Pro Tip 3/3

Criticism of Art

In art or criticism, 'mawkish' suggests that the emotional appeal is manipulative or lacks authenticity.

Critics called the painting mawkish, lacking genuine feeling.