sentimentality

noun

ˌsen-tə-ˌmen-ˈta-lə-tē How to pronounce sentimentality (audio)
Definition of sentimentalitynext
as in sentimentalism
the state or quality of having an excess of tender feelings (as of love, nostalgia, or compassion) the sentimentality of the story of star-crossed lovers only made it even more popular with moviegoers

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sentimentality People who actually worked in the building have expressed less sentimentality. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 18 Sep. 2026 And like any great sitcom, Friends runs the gamut from numbing brain-rot to tear-jerking sentimentality. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 9 Sep. 2026 Gauff doesn’t have much time for tennis sentimentality these days. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 Organization and Sentimentality Can Seriously Clash For people all around the world, sentimentality is a driver behind how their spaces look. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sentimentality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentimentality
sentimentalism
Noun
  • The Academy historically goes for sentimentalism.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2025
  • While leaders of the nature-study movement warned against sentimentalism and make-believe, young readers were delighted by such tales.
    — Jessica George, JSTOR Daily, 25 June 2025
Definition of sentimentalism

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sentimentalists
sentimentality
sentimentalize
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Cite this Entry

“Sentimentality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentimentality. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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