Word
sugary
Phoneticssug·ary
US/ˈʃʊɡɝi/
UK/ʃˈʊɡəɹi/
Definition
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.
Examples
“I try to avoid sugary drinks like soda.”
“The cereal was far too sugary for my taste, leaving a sticky residue on the spoon.”
“Critics dismissed the film's sugary ending as an unearned resolution that ignored the gritty realism established in the first two acts.”
Examples
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.
Etymology
From sugar + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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