as in sloppy
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
a sentimental story about unrequited love
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Recent Examples of sentimental
If anything, his films fight aggressively against a sentimental reading (There Will Be Blood, The Master, Phantom Thread) or pivot so hard into emotional catharsis that the fabric of reality breaks (Magnolia).
—
Joe Reid, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2025
The film benefits from its avoidance of a too-tidy, sentimental outcome, even if some in the audience might be left craving one.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025
The Bad Boy Records founder’s defense team also shared a sentimental video with the judge in hopes of securing a light sentence.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 3 Oct. 2025
The Princess of Wales was also announced as Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm and Colonel-in-Chief of the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards at that time, with the RAF Coningsby role linking her to her husband, Prince William, in a sentimental way.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sentimental
Joe Reid, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2025
The film benefits from its avoidance of a too-tidy, sentimental outcome, even if some in the audience might be left craving one.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025
The Bad Boy Records founder’s defense team also shared a sentimental video with the judge in hopes of securing a light sentence.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 3 Oct. 2025
The Princess of Wales was also announced as Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm and Colonel-in-Chief of the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards at that time, with the RAF Coningsby role linking her to her husband, Prince William, in a sentimental way.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sentimental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentimental
Adjective
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There were a few sloppy passes on zone entries, and one instance where a puck slipped through him at the blueline.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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The sweater’s hip-skimming length and relaxed cut result in a fit that feels effortlessly lived-in (not sloppy), while its wear-with-anything design is easy to style.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Blot wet spills instead of rubbing, and vacuum crumbs and dirt, which can be abrasive and weaken fibers, become ground into the carpet, and cause a sticky residue if left for too long.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
17 Oct. 2025
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The bee mushroom, which is hairy and striped like a bee, turns Mario into bee Mario, who can fly and climb on sticky honey walls.—
Matt Kasson,
Popular Science,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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After a mawkish beginning, the play somewhat redeems itself through earned emotions and an ambiguous ending that begs discussion.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
14 June 2025
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Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, jailed and banned frequently, has never allowed his work to get mawkish.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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Its almost schmaltzy final notes are a brilliant companion to Coppola’s unforgettable ending.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In the season’s back half, neither its overloading of vile desecrations nor maudlin sentimentality adds anything that Monster hadn’t already established four episodes ago.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
4 Oct. 2025
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While such a scenario sounds potentially maudlin and manipulative, Lucero — who wrote the film from a personal place — never allows that to happen by making the characters complex and flawed, and laboring under real-life issues.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The absence of corruption, scandal, self-dealing and cronyism makes this a revitalizing break from real-world concerns, without in any way veering into sappy idealism.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
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With a pair of catwalks jutting from the oval stage, the guys roam into the crowd, all while hitting their dance moves, and blending their upbeat pop anthems with the sappier ballads that made them into a heartthrob collective.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But the duo eventually decided to move back to Shanghai to realize their creative vision — building a fantasy of a strong female character with a penchant for saccharine dresses.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
9 Oct. 2025
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The sweetness was subtle, not saccharine.—
Aisha Muharrar,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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New additives like preservatives, flavorings and vitamins were infused into them, and they were packaged in novel ways to withstand hard helicopter drops, wet beach landings and days at the bottom of rucksacks.—
Alice Callahan,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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The team also considered that the concrete was likely to be wet during the day, after being freshly poured, and drier at night, hours later.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sentimental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentimental. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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