chintzy

IPA/ˈtʃɪntsi/
KK[tʃˈɪntsi]IPA/ˈtʃɪntsi/

chintzy — adjective

  • chintzypositive
  • chintziercomparative
  • chintziestsuperlative

1. looking or feeling badly made, cheap, and unlikely to last for long.

1.形容詞C1
釋義

looking or feeling badly made, cheap, and unlikely to last for long.

例句

Andres threw away the chintzy suitcase after one wheel broke.

collocation: chintzy suitcase

The hotel used chintzy towels that felt thin after one wash.

pattern: chintzy + household item

同義詞
  • flimsy

    focuses more on weakness and lack of strength

  • shoddy

    stresses poor workmanship or careless making

  • cheap-looking

    focuses more on appearance than on durability

  • tacky

    criticises bad taste more than weak construction

反義詞
  • sturdy

    strong enough to last and take rough use

  • well-made

    carefully built with good materials

文法句型

chintzy + noun

be/look + chintzy

find + object + chintzy

用法筆記

Usually describes products, furnishings, or materials that seem cheaply made or thin. Distinguish from sense 2, which criticises a person or policy for refusing to spend money rather than the object that results.

常見錯誤

❌This notebook was cheap, so it must be chintzy.
✅This notebook was cheap, but it is not chintzy because it is sturdy.
💡'chintzy' criticises poor quality or a cheap look, not low price alone.

2. unwilling to spend money in a fair or generous way, so that other people notice

2.形容詞C1
釋義

unwilling to spend money in a fair or generous way, so that other people notice and judge it negatively.

例句

Christopher seemed chintzy when he split every dinner bill to the cent.

pattern: seem + chintzy

Talia called the landlord chintzy for charging guests extra for soap.

pattern: call + person + chintzy

同義詞
  • stingy

    the closest everyday word for refusing to spend

  • miserly

    stronger and slightly more literary in tone

  • tight-fisted

    informal and vivid; suggests holding money too tightly

反義詞

文法句型

be/seem + chintzy

call + person + chintzy

chintzy + noun (person or spending policy)

用法筆記

Often used about people, landlords, companies, or spending decisions. Distinguish from sense 1: a chintzy suitcase is poor quality, but a chintzy landlord is unwilling to spend money.

常見錯誤

❌The chair is chintzy because the manager would not buy a better one.
✅The chair is chintzy.' OR 'The manager is chintzy.
💡sense 2 criticises the spender, while sense 1 criticises the object.

3. covered with too much old-fashioned floral decoration, in a way that feels fussy

3.形容詞C1
釋義

covered with too much old-fashioned floral decoration, in a way that feels fussy and unfashionable.

例句

Reema replaced the chintzy rose curtains with plain white blinds.

collocation: chintzy curtains

The cafe's chintzy wallpaper made the new chairs look even older.

pattern: chintzy + room decor

同義詞
  • gaudy

    more strongly about loud colours and showy decoration

  • fussy

    focuses on too many small decorative details

  • overdecorated

    plain descriptive phrase for having too much decoration

  • old-fashioned

    broader and less critical about decoration

反義詞
  • plain

    simple and without extra decoration

  • tasteful

    decorated with better judgement and restraint

文法句型

chintzy + noun

be/look + chintzy

用法筆記

Most often used for floral fabrics, wallpaper, and room decoration that feels too busy or old-fashioned. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense criticises style and patterning, not mainly the strength or quality of the object.

常見錯誤

❌The wallpaper is chintzy because it has flowers on it.
✅The wallpaper looks chintzy because the room is crowded with old-fashioned pink flower patterns.
💡'chintzy' is a negative judgement about the overall look, not a neutral word for any floral design.