sentimentality

noun

sen·ti·men·tal·i·ty | \ ˌsen-tə-ˌmen-ˈta-lə-tē ,

-mən- \

plural sentimentalities

Definition of sentimentality

1 : the quality or state of being sentimental especially to excess or in affectation

2 : a sentimental idea or its expression

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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

Among a coterie of tiresome single women and their Bechdel Test-failing dialogue, Mabel stood out for her feisty lack of sentimentality. — Sarah Lyall, New York Times, "Far From the Shore, a Happy Couple Takes a Turn for the Worse," 11 June 2018 Jay Longino’s screenplay lards all the hoop action and comedy with troweled-on sentimentality and even a little romance — a little in this case still being too much. — Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, "In ‘Uncle Drew,’ Kyrie dribbles, Kyrie shoots, Kyrie acts," 27 June 2018 Modern capitalism, the authors suggest, selects for assertiveness, for a lack of sentimentality in business and comfort in sacking underlings, and for showy displays of economic strength. — The Economist, "Does inequality cause suicide, drug abuse and mental illness?," 14 June 2018 Murphy plays the character as a suitably humorless waif, a fair match in zealotry, dumb cunning and cat-fancying sentimentality for the swaggering Padraic. — Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, "'The Lieutenant of Inishmore': Theater Review," 5 July 2018 As anyone who tuned into the episode noticed, many young Armenians value the eloquence and sentimentality of traditional toasting but take the old-fashioned, patriarchal stuff with a grain of salt. — Benjamin Kemper, Smithsonian, "Raising a Glass to Armenia’s Elaborate Toasting Tradition," 13 July 2018 Scorpion masquerades as self-examination, which only heightens its overwrought sentimentality: Side A grapples with ego, legacy, and fame, while Side B shifts to downtempo. — Jason Parham, WIRED, "With Scorpion, #DrakeSZN Is Back—as Overwrought as Ever," 2 July 2018 The final result was a beautiful tapestry of nature scenes with a little added sentimentality for Hayek Pinault. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, "Can You Spot the Portraits of Salma Hayek Pinault’s Pets on Her Met Gala Dress?," 8 May 2018 Australia will have no time to bask in the sentimentality of the occasion. — SI.com, "Peru's World Cup Journey: Part 3 - Incas Seek Sochi Salvation After the Dream Ends Early," 25 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sentimentality.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.