English Reference
Adjective

sugary

adj.
A2 Elementary US /ˈʃʊɡɝi/ UK /ʃˈʊɡəɹi/ sug·ary UK spelling sugaries

adj.tasting like sugar or containing a lot of it. You can also use it to describe something that is too sweet or fake, like a movie that is too emotional.

adj.containing, consisting of, or resembling sugar in taste or appearance. Often carries a pejorative connotation when describing artistic works or behavior that is excessively sentimental.


SIMPLE

I try to avoid sugary drinks like soda.

CONTEXTUAL

The cereal was far too sugary for my taste, leaving a sticky residue on the spoon.

COMPLEX

Critics dismissed the film's sugary ending as an unearned resolution that ignored the gritty realism established in the first two acts.

Usage

Often used figuratively to describe speech or media that feels insincere or overly sentimental.


From sugar + -y.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Occasional
Updated