hokey

• hokie, hoaky, hoky

From the verb hoke (“to give an artificial feel to”), from hokum.

• (US) IPA: /ˈhoʊki/

  Rhymes: -əʊki

hokey (comparative hokier, superlative hokiest)

1. (US, colloquial) phony, as if a hoax; noticeably contrived; of obviously flimsy credibility or quality
   • When asked for his book report, Chad came up a series of hokier and hokier excuses, until he finally admitted that he hadn’t done it at all.
   • I thought the bargain-priced windshield wiper blades were a little hokey when I saw their cheap packaging, but when they flew off the end of the wiper during a rainstorm, I knew for sure.
2. (US, colloquial) corny; overly or unbelievably sentimental
   • Terry hated going to the cinema with Pat, as Pat always chose hokey romantic comedies that made Terry want to gag.

• (fake): phony
• (sentimental): cheesy, corny, kitschy

• hokiness
• hoke
• hokum

• hokey-cokey
• hokey-pokey
• hokeypokey
• hokey-tokey