overcloy

overcloy

The chef's rich dessert overcloys the diner's palate.

Definition
  1. Verb (transitive):
    • To overfill or satiate completely: "overcloy" means to fill with food, pleasure, or something else to the point of excess, causing a feeling of being overly satisfied or disgusted. It implies a state of being cloyed beyond a normal limit.
Usage Examples
  • (The dessert filled them to excess, causing discomfort.)
  • (Too much praise satiates them completely, reducing its effect.)
Advanced Usage
  • "to overcloy oneself": to indulge in something to the point of excess.

    • He overcloyed himself with sweets during the holiday, feeling ill afterward. (He ate too many sweets, causing sickness.)
  • "overcloyed with": used to describe a state of being excessively filled with something.

    • The audience was overcloyed with sentimental speeches, growing restless. (They were bored by too much emotion.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Cloy (verb): to cause disgust or weariness by excess, especially of sweetness or richness.

    • The honey was so sweet it began to cloy. (It became too sweet to enjoy.)
  • Cloying (adj): excessively sweet, rich, or sentimental, often to the point of being unpleasant.

    • The perfume had a cloying scent that gave me a headache. (It was too strong and sweet.)
Synonyms
  • Satiate: to satisfy fully, often to excess.
  • Surfeit: to supply with an excessive amount of something.
  • Glut: to fill beyond capacity, especially with food.
Antonyms
  • Stimulate: to encourage interest or activity.
  • Whet: to increase appetite or desire.
Related Idioms
  • Enough is enough: used to indicate that something has reached a limit and should stop.

    • After the third helping, enough was enough—the food had overcloyed me. (I had reached the point of excess.)
  • Too much of a good thing: an excess of something pleasant becomes unpleasant.

    • The party was fun, but too much dancing and drinking overcloyed everyone. (Excess ruined the enjoyment.)