Hannah Gadsby

Shame has its place. Shame is what you do to a kid to stop them running on the road. And then you take the shame away, and immediately, they're back in the fold. You should never soak anybody in shame. It's the prolonged existence of shame that then flips out into destructive rage. We can't exist in that. It's like treacle.

Australian Comedian

James William Middleton

I have great childhood memories of my mother baking, and I was always a willing participant, especially if it meant I could revarnish the kitchen floor with treacle.

English Businessman

Tim Curry

There's nothing more daunting than a musical, but there's also no more direct line to joy. Getting there, though, is like pushing treacle up stairs.

British Actor

Susie Dent

Claggy is often seen as a negative word, yet for me it describes perfectly that full-mouthed feel of a treacle tart of banoffee pie.

English Scientist

Treacle is particularly British; similar substances may have different names in other forms of English.

British Origin

Treacle is denser than water so it pours slowly, often used as a metaphor for sluggishness.

Syrup Density

While treacle is sweet, in context it can refer to something overly or sickeningly sweet.

Not Always Sweet

Use 'treacle' to describe things overly sweet emotionally, not just physically like the syrup.

Excessive Sentiment

When used metaphorically, 'treacle' often implies a negative opinion of the sentimental content.

Negative Connotation

Look for clues in the context to know if 'treacle' is criticizing a work's aesthetics or style.

Aesthetic Contexts

 crime nearly nonexistent. What warfare there was between tribes was largely ritualistic and seldom resulted in indiscriminate or wholesale slaughter." Now you're all familiar with this treacle. We teach it to our children. We hear it on television and in storybooks.