sentimentality

noun

sen·​ti·​men·​tal·​i·​ty ˌsen-tə-ˌmen-ˈta-lə-tē 

-mən-

plural sentimentalities

1

: the quality or state of being sentimental especially to excess or in affectation

2

: a sentimental idea or its expression

Synonyms of sentimentality

• sentimentalism

Examples of sentimentality in a Sentence

the sentimentality of Romantic poetry

the sentimentality of the story of star-crossed lovers only made it even more popular with moviegoers

Recent Examples on the Web

The fusion of the two, bloke and coquette, reflects a cultural collision point, where softness meets structure and sport meets sentimentality. —Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026

Overall, power ballads rely on sentimentality and uplift, two antithetical sentiments at first glance. —Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 22 May 2026

There was no time for sentimentality. —Literary Hub, 21 May 2026

Rosenberg crafts these two characters with realistic resonance, though his film veers into sentimentality and some plot points are too coincidental to be entirely believable. —Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 19 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sentimentality

• bisexuality
• collegiality
• conditionality
• congeniality
• conventionality
• conviviality
• dimensionality
• directionality
• emotionality
• essentiality
• eventuality
• grammaticality

Kids Definition

sentimentality

noun

sen·​ti·​men·​tal·​i·​ty ˌsent-ə-ˌmen-ˈtal-ət-ē 

-mən-

plural sentimentalities

1

: the quality or state of being sentimental and especially overly sentimental

2

: a sentimental idea or its expression