Synonyms for fulsome
- adjective
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Unctuous — excessively flattering (connoting insincerity)
unctuous, effusive, oleaginous, fawning, insincere, smarmy, buttery, oily, soapy, obsequious, sycophantic
2. Disgusting
disgusting, ribald, obscene, loathsome, sickening, revolting, offensive, obnoxious, repulsive, bad, lousy, nauseous, rank, nauseating, odious, execrable, vile, distasteful, outrageous, noisome formal, grim, unpleasant
3. Profuse
Definitions
- adj. 1
Excessively flattering (connoting insincerity).
- adj. 2
Offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive.
- adj. 3
Characterised or marked by fullness; abundant, copious.
The fulsome thanks of the war-torn nation lifted our weary spirits.
Related words
- Word family
- fulsomely fulsomeness
- Other spellings
- fewsome fusome
Example sentences
- effusive Effusive people are often misunderstood as exaggerated.
- unctuous They resented how his unctuous flattery tended to obtrude into serious meetings.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| fulsome | steady | |
| fawning | rising | |
| effusive | rising | |
| unctuous | rising | |
| oleaginous | falling | |
| ribald | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- bad1
- 4 letters
- rank1, grim1, vile1, oily2
- 5 letters
- lousy2, soapy2
- 6 letters
- odious3, smarmy2, ribald2
- 7 letters
- obscene2, buttery3, fawning2, profuse2, noisome
- 8 letters
- nauseous2, effusive3, unctuous2
- 9 letters
- offensive3, excessive3, obnoxious3, sickening3, repulsive3, revolting3, insincere3, loathsome2, execrable4
- 10 letters
- disgusting3, outrageous3, unpleasant3, nauseating4, obsequious4, oleaginous5
- 11 letters
- extravagant4, distasteful3, sycophantic4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (oily2 = 2 syllables).