ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cheesy

adj.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈtʃizi// UK //tʃˈiːsi// cheesy Informal

adj. cheap, low quality, or trying too hard to be funny or romantic in a way that feels silly. You use this when something is so uncool that it becomes a bit funny.

adj. lacking in quality, style, or originality; often describes something that is overly sentimental or cliché in an unsubtle way. Informal in register.


SIMPLE

He sent her a cheesy card with a big red heart.

CONTEXTUAL

The movie was full of cheesy dialogue that made the audience laugh during the serious scenes.

COMPLEX

While some critics dismissed the performance as cheesy and outdated, the fans embraced its unapologetic nostalgia and bright, campy aesthetic.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English chesy, equivalent to cheese + -y. Doublet of caseic. Compare German käsig (“cheesy”).

Usage

Typically used as a predicative adjective after a linking verb or as an attributive adjective before a noun.

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