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adj

sappy

SA-pee

Sappy (adj) means Overly sentimental or emotional, in a way that feels exaggerated or corny. Example: “The movie's ending was a bit too sappy for my taste.”

adj
1
Overly sentimental or emotional, in a way that feels exaggerated or corny.
"The movie's ending was a bit too sappy for my taste."
"He wrote her a sappy love note tucked inside her lunch bag."
2
Full of plant sap; moist and full of juice.
"The freshly cut branch was still sappy and green."

How to use sappy

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishOverly emotional or sentimental, almost to the point of being cheesy.

UK vs US

British English often prefers "soppy" for the sentimental sense; "sappy" is more common in American English.

Common pairings
sappy movie sappy love song get sappy

Word forms

sappier comparative, more sappy comparative, sappiest superlative, most sappy superlative

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The movie's ending was a bit too _____ for my taste.

Etymology

From Old English "saepig," meaning "full of sap," built from sap plus "-y."

Origin: Old English

Rhymes for sappy

See all rhymes for sappy →

Frequently asked questions

What does “sappy” mean?

The word “sappy” means overly sentimental or emotional, in a way that feels exaggerated or corny. In plain terms, overly emotional or sentimental, almost to the point of being cheesy.

How do you pronounce “sappy”?

“Sappy” is pronounced SA-pee (/ˈsæpi/ in IPA).

How do you use “sappy” in a sentence?

Here is “sappy” used in a sentence: “The movie's ending was a bit too sappy for my taste.”

What part of speech is “sappy”?

“Sappy” is an adjective.

Where does the word “sappy” come from?

The word “sappy” comes from Old English. From Old English "saepig," meaning "full of sap," built from sap plus "-y.".

How many meanings does “sappy” have?

“Sappy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: overly sentimental or emotional, in a way that feels exaggerated or corny.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial