fulsome

adjective

ˈfu̇l-səm How to pronounce fulsome (audio)
Definition of fulsomenext
1
as in sickening
overly or insincerely flattering the player's fulsome praise for the coach showed just how hard he was trying to be named captain of the team

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in generous
giving or sharing in abundance and without hesitation grateful survivors who were fulsome in their praise of the rescue team

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ugly
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment the author perpetuates some truly fulsome stereotypes in her novel

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fulsome But a more fulsome treatment of the issue is needed. — Daniel Wallach, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026 Jefferson could be quite fulsome on this point. — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 DeSantis, who signed the law in the Republican stronghold of The Villages in Central Florida, was joined by several other Republicans who touted its provisions, warned about potential threats to election integrity, and offered fulsome praise of the governor. — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026 As Warsh interpreted it, modern central banking is not only about setting policy but also about presenting outcomes as the result of fulsome deliberation. — Paul Wachtel, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fulsome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fulsome
  1. sickening
  2. generous
  3. ugly
  4. gushy
  5. charitable
  6. disgusting
  7. abundant
  8. awful
Adjective
  • Beyond the ugly-duckling implications and the patent objectification and humiliation of women, the show’s portrayal of plastic surgery itself struck me as dark and sort of sickening.
    — Jolene Edgar, Allure, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Perhaps the most sickening part of the entire encounter is that both Oleynik and Kravchenko are seen holding the turtle's hatchlings, posing for photos and smiling as if everything is cool.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of sickening
Adjective
  • The rooms Rooms are clean and bright, content to sit back, relax, and let the killer oceanfront views do much of the work where possible; first order of business are massive windows and glass doors leading out onto generous balconies.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Before going to bed, Joy leaves out a generous spread of midnight snacks packed full of chicken for the guests, who stay up late.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of generous
Adjective
  • Without all that, the series misses out on the ugly, earthy, sensual details that could have complicated her past blank innocence.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Earlier this season, the Seahawks coach described a dispute with Payton that got ugly enough for Seattle to threaten a lawsuit.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • But something about the Ferris wheel, summer sunsets and general overindulgence convinced me that Wisconsin State Fair might just be the perfect place for romantic declarations, first dates, and altogether gushy moments.
    — Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Except for the unfettered devotion in the latter is replaced by swooping strings and a gushy chorus that merely offer an antiseptic veneer.
    — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Definition of gushy
Adjective
  • Donating shares—whether involving an IPO or not—can be one of the most tax-effective ways to support charitable causes.
    — Joe Crome, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Jim Cramer also hit paydirt on this one, buying it for the charitable trust back in March.
    — Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of charitable
Adjective
  • People tend to think of waste as trash, sewage, slag, manure and other seemingly useless or disgusting substances.
    — Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The better to act out empire’s idea of what disgusting demonic sickness looks like.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • There, local fishermen demonstrated their sustainable crayfish harvesting process, and as a spectacular touch, the helicopter lifted one of the crayfish tanks straight out of the ocean, giving our client a dramatic view of the abundant catch.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But coyotes, with their abundant numbers and reputation as nuisances, are not.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of abundant
Adjective
  • He was held back by something else, a feeling that some awful truth about his familiar, beloved world was now being revealed to him.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • His death was already sudden and awful, and the call was jarring and unexpected.
    — Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of awful

Browse Nearby Words

fulminations
fulsome
fumble
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fulsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fulsome. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All