1 C1 idiomatic slang
To make something excessively sentimental, kitschy, or clichéd in style.
"The director really cheesed up the ending with an unnecessary slow-motion reunion scene."
separable
cheese up
C1 slang separable transitive
To make something excessively sentimental, kitschy, or clichéd; to add tacky or over-the-top elements.
In plain English
To make something look or sound too sweet, sentimental, or fake — like adding too many clichés or tacky decorations.
What does "cheese up" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Usage tip
Informal and not widely attested in dictionaries. Derived from 'cheesy' (meaning tacky, overly sentimental, or clichéd). More common in informal creative and pop-culture discussions.
Words that pair with "cheese up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
movie ending speech design performance song
How to conjugate "cheese up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
cheese up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
cheeses up
he/she/it
Past simple
cheesed up
yesterday
Past participle
cheesed up
have + pp
-ing form
cheesing up
continuous
Hear "cheese up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "cheese up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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