cloy

Synonym Chooser

How is the word cloy different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of cloy are glut, gorge, pall, sate, satiate, and surfeit. While all these words mean "to fill to repletion," cloy stresses the disgust or boredom resulting from such surfeiting.

sentimental pictures that cloy after a while

When is glut a more appropriate choice than cloy?

The synonyms glut and cloy are sometimes interchangeable, but glut implies excess in feeding or supplying.

a market glutted with diet books

When could gorge be used to replace cloy?

In some situations, the words gorge and cloy are roughly equivalent. However, gorge suggests glutting to the point of bursting or choking.

gorged themselves with chocolate

When would pall be a good substitute for cloy?

While the synonyms pall and cloy are close in meaning, pall emphasizes the loss of ability to stimulate interest or appetite.

a life of leisure eventually begins to pall

How do satiate and sate relate to one another, in the sense of cloy?

Both satiate and sate may sometimes imply only complete satisfaction but more often suggest repletion that has destroyed interest or desire.

years of globe-trotting had satiated their interest in travel
readers were sated with sensationalistic stories

When is it sensible to use surfeit instead of cloy?

The meanings of surfeit and cloy largely overlap; however, surfeit implies a nauseating repletion.

surfeited themselves with junk food

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cloy Lengua gyutan, or beef tongue, soaked in a creamy mushroom gravy, seemed destined to cloy but turned out to be smooth, balanced, and savory. Jiayang Fan, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2022 But before such moments can cloy, Arbery usefully complicates his case. New York Times, 22 June 2022 That sweetness can cloy if it’s not suitably chilled and diluted, which is why almost everyone chooses to make it on the rocks. Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 16 Dec. 2021 The museum’s sacredness to many, including me, can cloy a little. Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 8 Feb. 2021 See All Example Sentences for cloy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cloy
Verb
  • Research the local market to see if there’s room for growth or if the market is already saturated.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
  • But later that year, Republicans saturated campaigns with ads about gender, including attacks on Biden administration policies.
    Sam Gringlas, NPR, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • Press coverage at the time of Alexander’s death focused in part on her operation of Anger Room, a business in Dallas where customers could alleviate stress by smashing items in rooms made to look like a workplace or a living area.
    Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2025
  • This development alleviates pressures on the semiconductor industry, which has been impacted by supply chain disruptions and uncertain business conditions.
    Tony Zhang, CNBC, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • And how can give gifts that truly lighten the mental load—instead of add to it?
    Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 8 May 2025
  • Yet those very efficiency gains often spur heavier workloads rather than lighten them.
    Gerui Wang, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
    Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 9 May 2025
  • The gratifying news is that, almost a century later, Tables for Two is still running, now with Helen Rosner in the Lois Long seat.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 5 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cloy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloy. Accessed 19 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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