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
Synonyms of sensational
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
Attorney to the stars Local sports teams suing one another is provocative, but not as sensational as those six weeks in 1998, when Babcock successfully defended Winfrey in Amarillo, where cattlemen brought suit after her TV show’s episode about mad cow disease.
—
Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 19 Feb. 2026
Navigating such thorny topics as consent and autonomy in the throes of dementia, the film is relentless in its exploration of impossible-to-answer questions, and uses, as its vessel, three sensational performers who make its drama both luminous and entirely devastating.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 17 Feb. 2026
France’s Eric Perrot overcame a wobble on the final shoot and a late surge from Norway’s Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen to win a sensational first men’s relay gold medal for his country today.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 17 Feb. 2026
The president has largely put out most fires that started during his tenure, beginning with a national uproar in his first few months following the sensational end to petrol subsidies.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sensational
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Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 19 Feb. 2026
Navigating such thorny topics as consent and autonomy in the throes of dementia, the film is relentless in its exploration of impossible-to-answer questions, and uses, as its vessel, three sensational performers who make its drama both luminous and entirely devastating.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 17 Feb. 2026
France’s Eric Perrot overcame a wobble on the final shoot and a late surge from Norway’s Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen to win a sensational first men’s relay gold medal for his country today.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 17 Feb. 2026
The president has largely put out most fires that started during his tenure, beginning with a national uproar in his first few months following the sensational end to petrol subsidies.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sensational
Cite this Entry
“Sensational.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sensational. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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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