variants
or schlocky
also shlock
or shlocky
as in cheap
of low quality
a tourist trap selling schlock souvenirs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of schlock
Quentin Tarantino’s outrageous revisionist Western is wildly over-the-top, combining the director’s penchant for gratuitous violence and sparkling dialogue with a story that’s pleasingly labyrinthine but nothing if not schlocky.
—
Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026
But that shift is still recent, and decades of cultural baggage — from sexist slasher stereotypes to schlocky late-night programming — continue to shape perception.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026
For every schlocky, derivative entry, there’s one that endures.
—Alex Barasch, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
The film finally returns to Dracula’s castle, where four stone gargoyles come to life, and where there is bad swordplay, schlocky cannon fire, and a fortune-cookie theological lecture from Waltz’s Priest.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 Feb. 2026
Gonzo attempts a wild stunt; Fozzie makes a few schlocky jokes; Bunsen and Beaker are working in the laboratory with unfortunate consequences.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
In one of the most heartwarming sequences a flashback shows these young film buffs shooting one of their shlocky Big Foot-esque monster movies.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
For one thing, it was produced for half a million dollars, resulting a charmingly schlocky and handmade product that greatly appealed to kids hoping to get into the business one day.
—Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Macon Blair’s update to the legendarily schlocky Troma classic played Fantastic Fest and Beyond Fest two years ago and earned praise from genre fans for its wacky humor, its social critiques of modern America, and Peter Dinklage’s performance as Winston Gooze, the new Toxic Avenger.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026
But that shift is still recent, and decades of cultural baggage — from sexist slasher stereotypes to schlocky late-night programming — continue to shape perception.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026
For every schlocky, derivative entry, there’s one that endures.
—Alex Barasch, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
The film finally returns to Dracula’s castle, where four stone gargoyles come to life, and where there is bad swordplay, schlocky cannon fire, and a fortune-cookie theological lecture from Waltz’s Priest.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 Feb. 2026
Gonzo attempts a wild stunt; Fozzie makes a few schlocky jokes; Bunsen and Beaker are working in the laboratory with unfortunate consequences.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
In one of the most heartwarming sequences a flashback shows these young film buffs shooting one of their shlocky Big Foot-esque monster movies.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
For one thing, it was produced for half a million dollars, resulting a charmingly schlocky and handmade product that greatly appealed to kids hoping to get into the business one day.
—Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Macon Blair’s update to the legendarily schlocky Troma classic played Fantastic Fest and Beyond Fest two years ago and earned praise from genre fans for its wacky humor, its social critiques of modern America, and Peter Dinklage’s performance as Winston Gooze, the new Toxic Avenger.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for schlock
Adjective
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But by tweaking this archetype again and again, Chan transforms a cheap gimmick into a complex ecosystem of life-forms.—
Dawn Chan,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
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The cheapest available seat was listed at $237 as of Friday evening.—
Annie Costabile,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The delay seemed to Silva like one more indignity in a terrible series of events that began with her husband’s death in 2024.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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The logic here is peak modern NBA, and the league wants to make being slightly below average more rewarding than being truly terrible.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Injuries to key players on the Amazin’s contributed to some poor numbers as well.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Although poor students are disproportionately likely to receive special education in New York City, well-off disabled kids are the ones most acutely driving up the budget.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The high-flying version of the Avs has yet to arrive in this series, but the defensively-sound edition backed by strong goaltending continues to be enough against an inferior Kings club.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
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Their highest attendance of the games played at Stamford Bridge this season is 30,545, the only one to come close to the 30,000 mark, and inferior to their record attendance of 39,398 set two years ago at their Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In the fall, the adults would find rotten crescents in the harvest.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
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As of Thursday night, the film had a rotten 33 percent critics’ score on Rotten tomatoes.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Its 28-game start matches the expansion 1962 Mets — who lost 120 games — along with 1964 and 1983 for the second-worst in team history behind an 8-20 opening in 1981.—
Ronald Blum,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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Ossai isn’t a bad pass rusher either, getting five sacks in each of the last two seasons, a total that somehow would’ve ranked second on the Jets last season.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Schlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/schlock. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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