kitsch

Kitsch refers to something that's overly sentimental, cheesy, or tacky. It can be an artwork, decoration, or even a movie that tries too hard to be emotional but ends up being silly instead.

When we use the word "kitsch," we often mean that it's trying to evoke strong feelings in us, but fails because it's just too over-the-top. Imagine walking into a room filled with gaudy, neon-colored furniture and velvet paintings of puppies playing the piano – that would be kitschy! The word can also describe music or movies that are intentionally cheesy, like a campy B-movie or a sentimental ballad that tries to tug at our heartstrings but ends up being cringeworthy instead. We might say something is "too kitschy" if it's just too much, even for people who usually enjoy this kind of thing.