sensational
adjective
sen·sa·tion·al
sen-ˈsā-sh(ə-)nəl 
2
: arousing or tending to arouse (as by lurid details) a quick, intense, and usually superficial interest, curiosity, or emotional reaction
sensational tabloid news
3
: exceedingly or unexpectedly excellent or great
a sensational talent
sensationally
adverb
Examples of sensational in a Sentence
She looked sensational in her new dress.
the sensational news story caused a stir, but after a few days everyone forgot about it
Recent Examples on the Web
The sensational turn in the case fueled breathless news coverage as the public became hungry for any revelation about the brothers’ motives or the dark secrets that had been festering inside the Menendez family home.
—
Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
The Penguins outplayed the Rangers in the first period and evened the game in the second period when the sensational 18-year-old rookie Ben Kindel scored his first NHL goal.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Each of those seasons sparked conversations around sensational portrayals of murder victims, and Ed Gein has also been stirring up some debate.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025
Often sensational in tone and light on substance, these reports typically allege that a company has misstated its financial condition, overstated business prospects, or engaged in improper practices.
—Tim Reynolds, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sensational
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Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
The Penguins outplayed the Rangers in the first period and evened the game in the second period when the sensational 18-year-old rookie Ben Kindel scored his first NHL goal.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Each of those seasons sparked conversations around sensational portrayals of murder victims, and Ed Gein has also been stirring up some debate.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025
Often sensational in tone and light on substance, these reports typically allege that a company has misstated its financial condition, overstated business prospects, or engaged in improper practices.
—Tim Reynolds, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sensational
Cite this Entry
“Sensational.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sensational. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sensational
adjective
sen·sa·tion·al
sen-ˈsā-shnəl
-shən-ᵊl,
sən-
1
: of or relating to sensation or the senses
2
: arousing a strong and usually shallow interest or emotional reaction
sensational news
3
: exceedingly or unexpectedly excellent or great
a sensational diving catch
sensationally
adverb
-ē
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