sentimental

adjective

sen·​ti·​men·​tal ˌsen-tə-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce sentimental (audio)
Synonyms of sentimentalnext
1
a
: marked or governed by feeling, sensibility, or emotional idealism
b
: resulting from feeling rather than reason or thought
a sentimental attachment
a sentimental favorite
2
: having an excess of sentiment or sensibility
sentimentally adverb

Examples of sentimental in a Sentence

He has a sentimental attachment to his old high school. She saved her wedding gown for sentimental reasons. He has sentimental ideas about the past. I tend to get very sentimental when I think about my childhood.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Expansive Jupiter spends the first half of the year in water sign Cancer, amplifying a focus on vintage, sentimental, romantic styles, but after June 30, its journey through fire sign Leo will kick off a year of theatrical silhouettes and a surge of all things glitzy, glimmering, and golden. Maressa Brown, InStyle, 9 Jan. 2026 But even here, her sincerity overcomes her weakness for sentimental flourishes, including Amine Bouhafa’s treacly score. Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026 Keleigh shared her reaction to the sentimental present on TikTok. Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026 Hold on to these sentimental and valuable items. Ashley Poskin, Martha Stewart, 8 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sentimental

Word History

First Known Use

1741, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sentimental was in 1741

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Cite this Entry

“Sentimental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sentimental. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

sentimental

adjective
sen·​ti·​men·​tal ˌsent-ə-ˈment-ᵊl How to pronounce sentimental (audio)
1
a
: marked by feeling or sentiment
b
: resulting from feeling rather than reason or thought
2
: having an excess of sentiment or sensibility
sentimentally
-ᵊl-ē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on sentimental

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