What does tawdrily mean?
Tawdrily is an adverb meaning in a tawdry manner: with cheap, gaudy, or excessively sentimental display. It is chiefly used as a deliberately negative judgment on clothing, decoration, writing, or performance that looks flashy, tasteless, or affectedly emotional. The word is more pointed than simply “showy,” because it suggests something cheap or vulgar as well as ornate. In sentences, it can characterize an obvious visual choice—such as “a tawdrily jeweled crown”—or a manner of emotional expression, such as a “tawdrily sentimental” ending. Because tawdrily is relatively formal and literary, it suits criticism of costume, melodrama, advertising, and decorative excess. In less formal writing, similar terms such as gaudily, garishly, or tastelessly may sound more natural. Even so, tawdrily is a useful precision tool: it distinguishes conspicuous display from simple brightness or abundance, making clear that the speaker regards the effect as cheap or tasteless.
adverbIn a tawdry manner, especially with cheap, gaudy, or excessively sentimental display.
- In a tawdry manner, especially with cheap, gaudy, or excessively sentimental display.
"The play concluded with a tawdrily sentimental reconciliation that drained the drama of its credibility."
"She dressed tawdrily for the premiere, combining glittering fabric with an abundance of imitation jewels."
"The novel's tawdrily sentimental ending borrowed freely from melodrama."
Tawdrily is the sharp-tongued verdict for display that is not merely ornate, but cheap, gaudy, or mawkishly sentimental.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tawdrily come from?
Tawdrily was formed by adding the adverbial suffix -ly to the adjective tawdry. The English adjective tawdry is attested from the early seventeenth century for something cheap, gaudy, or excessively sentimental. Its precise earlier source is uncertain, so no definitive derivation from another language can safely be asserted.
Related word forms
How tawdrily is actually used
The word is relatively formal and literary, with a strongly negative connotation. It is especially used in criticism of clothing, decoration, performance, advertising, and emotionally affected writing.
Easily confused with tawdrily
Tawdry is the adjective meaning cheap, gaudy, or excessively sentimental, whereas tawdrily is the adverb describing how something is done.