What does kitschier mean?
Kitschier is the comparative form of kitschy and means more kitschy: more exaggeratedly sentimental, gaudy, or designed to provoke admiration. It is commonly used when comparing two works, styles, or design choices, as in calling one version of a film or product noticeably kitschier than another. The word often carries a critical tone, suggesting that the excess has become more conspicuous or ridiculous, although it can also be used playfully to describe increasingly flamboyant or overdecorated taste. Its comparative form is especially natural in speech, where it avoids the repeated use of “more” before “kitschy.” The word is useful for identifying a gradual change in aesthetic excess and for distinguishing mild sentimentality from a more overt or exaggerated form of it.
adjectiveComparative of kitschy; more characteristic of kitsch, especially in being overly sentimental, gaudy, or calculated to provoke admiration.
- More kitschy; characterized by exaggerated sentiment, gaudy appeal, or conspicuous attempts to elicit admiration.
"The film’s kitschier sequel trades the original’s subtlety for broad comedy and exaggerated romance."
"The second theme parks in the film is noticeably kitschier than the understated opening sequence."
"Her kitschier ideas for the celebration eventually overwhelmed the elegant décor of the venue."
Kitschier marks the point when a work crosses from merely sentimental into a style so exaggerated that its emotional effect becomes impossible to ignore.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of kitschier
The word belongs to the English family derived from German kitsch, a term for sentimental or tawdry artistic taste that entered English in the late nineteenth century. The base adjective kitschy and its noun kitschiness developed from that borrowing, while kitschier and kitschiest are the regular comparative and superlative forms. Related forms also occur in other European languages, including Dutch, reflecting the shared German and Dutch vocabulary of artistic taste.
Related word forms
How kitschier is actually used
Usually used in a comparison. It can be mildly critical or humorous, depending on context, and is less common in formal writing than the base adjective.
Easily confused with kitschier
Kitsch is the noun for overly sentimental or tawdry art and taste, while kitschier is the comparative adjective meaning more kitschy.