sensational

adjective

sen-ˈsā-shnəl How to pronounce sensational (audio)
Definition of sensationalnext
1
as in juicy
arousing a strong and usually superficial interest or emotional reaction the sensational news story caused a stir, but after a few days everyone forgot about it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sensory
of or relating to physical sensation or the senses sensational hallucinations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in excellent
of the very best kind this ice cream is sensational

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sensational Championship leader Kimi Antonelli completed the podium, with another sensational drive taking him to P2. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026 The four-course dinner is always sensational—feast on anything from progressive local cuisine to British classics. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 The choreography by brothers Rick Kuperman and Jeff Kuperman is sensational. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 How sustainable is Smith-Njigba's sensational start to the 2026 season? — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sensational
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sensational
  1. juicy
  2. sensory
  3. excellent
  4. colorful
  5. sensual
  6. wonderful
  7. screaming
  8. sensorial
Adjective
  • The standout dish, however, was the juicy scarlet prawns on a bed of creamy, lemony Portuguese rice.
    — Julia Wytrazek, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The story is so entertaining and juicy, but at the end of the day, this really happened.
    — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of juicy
Adjective
  • Blurred boundaries Measuring global functional connectivity—how much influence each patch of cortex exerts over the rest—the team found that, when participants had their eyes closed, sensory regions lost sway while associative regions gained.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Short for autonomous sensory meridian response, ASMR describes the pleasant, tingling calm some people feel in response to soft sensory input, like whispering, tapping, or watching something being squished.
    — Steven John, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of sensory
Adjective
  • Her shoes are already a favorite among industry insiders for their sleek appeal and excellent construction.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In late September, the concept was thrust back into the public consciousness thanks to a Variety interview with actor Jack Innanen, who plays the Canadian himbo Paul Baker on the excellent sitcom Adults.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of excellent
Adjective
  • Frosted glass walls reveal a garden of oversize, colorful leather flowers, while wood and leather, recurring materials in Polène’s stores, appear in the furnishings.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Other suites are even more striking, covered from head to toe in a flora wallpaper and bright, colorful custom furniture.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of colorful
Adjective
  • Unlike many other leftists, who saw the Nazis as mere puppets of capitalism, Seghers understood the raw, sensual appeal of the Fascist message.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Vanilla Bouclé offers a similar sensual scent experience, this time leaning more into the sweetness of gourmands and woody notes like white almond, coconut milk, sandalwood and chamomile.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of sensual
Adjective
  • The pom-pom sandals at Givenchy were wonderful, fun, unexpected and exactly what fashion lovers are looking for from a spring runway show.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Expect to see rare bottles pulled from the shelves and all manner of weird and wonderful concoctions offered up from the menu and from their encyclopedic knowledge of drinks.
    — Condé Nast, cntraveler.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of wonderful
Adjective
  • There was more screaming and yelling for people who wanted to get a ventilator available in their home.
    — Chris Lee, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2021
Definition of screaming
Adjective
  • Even better, many products are viral TikTok favorites that live up to the hype—packed with potent ingredients and often offering unique sensorial experiences.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Perfumers working with Maison Crivelli are sent a mood board, including photos, videos, oral descriptions of people met, music heard and food tasted — varied sensorial components that describe an adventure Thibaud Crivelli has had.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of sensorial

Browse Nearby Words

sensation
sensational
sensationalist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sensational.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sensational. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of syncretic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All