The word cheesy is an English colloquialism that is used both literally and figuratively. Cheesy is used to describe food that features a lot of cheese, but the nonliteral meaning is more often used. A colloquialism is a word or phrase that has arisen from English but is not considered formal or grammatical. Colloquial words or phrases are used very frequently in spoken English.
Cheesy Meaning 1: Cheesy means containing lots of cheese and having the taste, smell, and consistency of cheese; and, in regards to non-food items, resembling the consistency of cheese. For example, “cheesy pizza” or a “cheesy pasta sauce.”
Example: “I could really go for some nice cheesy pizza right now.”
Cheesy Meaning 2. Cheap, bad quality, in bad taste, or lacking style; blatantly inauthentic; not very good and unoriginal but in a way that makes it funny (as in a cheesy movie or cheesy song).
Cheesy is often used to describe a smile. A cheesy smile is one so exaggerated that it’s silly, although probably inauthentic and insincere.
The word cheesy, surprisingly, has been used this way since the 1800s, beginning with college student slang. In those days, as well, an ignorant or stupid person might have been called a cheese.
Examples Of How to Use Cheesy in a Sentence
“My building plays the most cheesy elevator music you can imagine.”
“There is a lot of nostalgia for 80’s culture right now and movies often reference the cheesy style of 80’s movies, complete with the music.
“The movie is full of cheesy effects like talking lions and over-the-top scenes, but with surprisingly good acting.”
“I’m tired of traveling and of endless cheesy hotel rooms. I think it’s time to settle down.”
“I know it sounds cheesy, but I think we are going to be together forever.”
“I’m sorry, I just can’t take him seriously with that big cheesy mustache.”
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