cloy·ing \ˈklȯi.iŋ\adjective : having an excess of a quality (as sweetness or sentimentality) to the point of arousing distaste or disgust < a sweet but not cloying manner — W.A.White > < sentiment more real and less cloying — Katherine G. Jackson > • cloy·ing·lyadverb • cloy·ing·nessnoun-es