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

As expected, there was precisely zero sentimentality from Quick, who was the Conn Smythe winner during the Kings’ first Stanley Cup title run in 2012 and their starting goalie for their second in 2014 as well. —Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026

John, who plays Mickey’s father in the film, described watching Zelda and Toby inhabit such fraught roles without sentimentality. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Jan. 2026

Choose honesty over sentimentality. —Usa Today, USA Today, 19 Jan. 2026

Much of Hurry Up Tomorrow sees the Weeknd trying to make peace with his transformation—wrestling with the old habits that haunt him, watching his legacy slip away, recognizing the limits of hedonism, navigating nostalgia and sentimentality. —Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 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