as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
a maudlin movie about a lovable tramp
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Recent Examples of maudlin
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
Hoffman and Jonsson are both brilliant, vulnerable in their humanity in the face of such unfathomable conditions, but their repartee does seem forced and often maudlin.
—Gregory Nussen, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2025
In his lesser novels, the tragedies are maudlin and the jokes mere punch lines.
—Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
To his credit, Wax achieves the challenging task of convincingly creating Izzy’s prize-winning poetry, which rings true to the character without being maudlin, arch or pretentious.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for maudlin
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
Hoffman and Jonsson are both brilliant, vulnerable in their humanity in the face of such unfathomable conditions, but their repartee does seem forced and often maudlin.
—Gregory Nussen, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2025
In his lesser novels, the tragedies are maudlin and the jokes mere punch lines.
—Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
To his credit, Wax achieves the challenging task of convincingly creating Izzy’s prize-winning poetry, which rings true to the character without being maudlin, arch or pretentious.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for maudlin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maudlin
Adjective
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Well, this overly gauzy, sentimental, dull period romance hasn’t gotten any less dopey now that Nicolas Cage has been, well, Nicolas Cage for the last 20 years.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
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Today is a very sweet, sentimental and romantic day.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Penguins were sloppy in the defensive zone and didn’t put the Flyers away on the power play.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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A couple sloppy Westlake possessions have given the Lady Tigers the momentum.—
American-Statesman staff,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
When slicked with oil over high heat, the morsels crisp into a textural marvel, jumping a long way from their original sticky form.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Brewing economic conditions suggest, however, that when Warsh takes office, presumably in May, central bank policymakers could be facing both a wobbly jobs picture and sticky inflation made worse by spiraling energy prices.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maudlin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maudlin. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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