as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
a maudlin movie about a lovable tramp
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maudlin
He’s also invested his protagonist with a self-deprecating sense of humor that keeps his pessimism from veering into maudlin territory.
—
Book Marks
june 27, Literary Hub, 27 June 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
The trick to that is going in without bitterness and going in without any kind of maudlin demonstrations of emotion.
—Taylor Mims, Billboard, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maudlin
Book Marks
june 27, Literary Hub, 27 June 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
The trick to that is going in without bitterness and going in without any kind of maudlin demonstrations of emotion.
—Taylor Mims, Billboard, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maudlin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maudlin
Adjective
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That verisimilitude functioned as a solvent, lending credibility and urgency to elements of the show that might otherwise register as pure cheese; the medical realism and sentimental flourishes were mutually reinforcing.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2026
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Kitsch without meaning is just clutter, so take your time building a look that feels sentimental and nostalgic to really nail the style.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The soft knit fabric drapes just right, giving that relaxed vibe without looking sloppy.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
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Practice had been a bit a sloppy at times, but San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher had a wide smile anyway Thursday afternoon.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Cramer said strong signs from forwarding holiday spending suggest inflation may remain sticky, setting up tension between a president eager to contain prices and consumers who have borne the brunt of inflation.—
Luke Fountain,
CNBC,
10 Jan. 2026
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To keep a tension rod from slipping, look for rods that have rubber stoppers on the ends or that come with sticky wall brackets.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maudlin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maudlin. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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