Refers to an experience or something that is overbearingly sweet to the extent of being annoying. It could mean excessively sentimental, sweet and rich to a sickening or disgusting degree. The word is commonly used to describe people, relationships, foods and other items.
Etymology: Cloying originates from the verb “cloy,” which means to indulge excessively. The use of the word has evolved over the past centuries. In Middle English, the verb meant “to prick a horse with a nail when shoeing” or “to clog.” It also borrows from the Latin word for “nail” (clavus).
In a Sentence
The romance wore out over time; despite their love for each other, she found him cloying with his constant phone calls and gifts.
The chef put so much sugar in the desert that customers found it cloying.
Too much pampering from one partner in a relationship can be cloying to the other person.