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

• bathos
• gooeyness
• lovey-doveyness
• mawkishness
• mush
• mushiness
• saccharinity
• sappiness
• sentimentalism
• sloppiness
• soppiness
• syrup
• sirup

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

Imaginative touches like that go a long way toward ameliorating the film’s small but not ignorable flaws, such as its tendency toward sentimentality in the last stretch and the gaping spaces where more character-building needs to be to land the plane safely. —Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025

Caught up in the sentimentality of his own fame, the Weeknd just can’t heed his own curtain call. —Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 16 May 2025

Cash Flow And Control Beyond sentimentality, real estate can offer a financial utility that aligns well with multi-generational planning. —Dj Van Keuren, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025

The episode also concludes the series itself, which routinely bounced between toe-curling raunch and a fierce sentimentality that sometimes clashed with its trademark cynicism. —Randall Colburn, EW.com, 5 May 2025

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