Cheesy means corny, clichéd or sickly sentimental: people say it about songs, films, cards and pick-up lines. Literally it means full of cheese, and you can say it about a pizza piled with cheese, but in conversation the first meaning is more common. A cheesy grin is a wide, ear-to-ear smile, a bit forced, like one for the camera. The tone is gently mocking, often affectionate: I love cheesy films.
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cheesy + song/film/joke/line; a cheesy grin; a bit / so / too cheesy
- I know it's cheesy, but I still cry at the end of that film every time.
- He gave me a cheesy grin when I caught him eating my chocolate.
- Stop with the cheesy pick-up lines, nobody at this party falls for them.
What changed
First versionThe ending was too much cheesy, with a kiss in the rain and slow music.
RevisionThe ending was too cheesy, with a kiss in the rain and slow music.
Too much cheesy is a common mistake: before an adjective you just need too: too cheesy, too long. Too much goes before a noun (too much sugar) or after a verb (you worry too much).
Corny is close in meaning and also means stale, but it's more often about jokes and old tricks: a corny joke. A wide grin is only ever a cheesy grin; corny doesn't work there. Cheesy is an ordinary conversational word and fine in IELTS Speaking, while in an essay people write sentimental or clichéd.
Your turn
His Valentine's card had roses, stars and 'you complete me', sweet but a bit ___.
Show the answer
cheesy — Roses, stars and you complete me are a set of clichés, so it's cheesy. Cheeky means bold or a little rude and would suit a teasing joke, not a sweet card.
Tell a friend about a film or song you like even though it's clichéd. Name it and explain what makes it work for you.
I know Love Actually is cheesy, but the airport scenes at the end make me smile every Christmas.
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