sentimental

adjective

ˌsen-tə-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce sentimental (audio)
Definition of sentimentalnext
as in sloppy
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way a sentimental story about unrequited love

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 sentimental Family members sometimes leave jewelry and other sentimental items inside the niches with those remains. — Wpec Staff, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2026 Cohen created a counter-text, a luscious version of Arendt’s unknown sentimental education. — David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 Nielsen research has long shown people trust word-of-mouth over brand advertising, and that dynamic now earns machine trust for structural, not sentimental, reasons. — Charles Nicholls, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Paxton recommends keeping special items like a special suit or dress, or other particular garments that hold strong memories—but not being excessively sentimental about the rest. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 8 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sentimental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentimental
  1. sloppy
  2. sticky
  3. mawkish
  4. schmaltzy
  5. maudlin
  6. sappy
  7. saccharine
  8. fuzzy
Adjective
  • On the previous drive, the Falcons’ starting offense went three-and-out — in sloppy, uninspiring fashion.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • First off, always practice perfect form with a lighter weight rather than compensate with sloppy form and a heavier weight.
    — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of sloppy
Adjective
  • No pomp, no circumstance, no celebrity— this is the sticky ground floor of the nation’s country music scene.
    — Jacqueline Kehoe, Midwest Living, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Glazed baby back ribs, satisfyingly sticky and spiced with gochujang, come smothered with melting mozzarella for crazy long cheese pulls on Chicago-style, falling-off-the-bone pork.
    — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of sticky
Adjective
  • Its direction is stodgy and unimpressive, and its screenplay stilted and mawkish.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 3 July 2026
  • The sounds are chintzy and soaked in reverb, like a mawkish ’80s ballad rewritten from memory, and the whole thing slowly falls apart and fades out like an old track by the Field.
    — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 24 June 2026
Definition of mawkish
Adjective
  • Albini doesn’t dress up those songs with any schmaltzy production or studio tricks.
    — David Harris, SPIN, 11 June 2026
  • In the way that Harrison looks to the Bible for models of relationships and drama, Cappa’s Haha, You Clowns looks to schmaltzy sitcoms and after school specials.
    — James Folta, Literary Hub, 18 Dec. 2025
Definition of schmaltzy
Adjective
  • Except that’s precisely what awards shows are terrible at — those hammy yuk-yuk sketches, or weepy maudlin moments, that struggle to celebrate the industry by interlacing the show with a theatrical insert.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026
  • That’s when the movie takes a direction that’s both maudlin in the true sense of the word and ultimately even sanctimonious regarding the heroine’s sudden redemption.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 May 2026
Definition of maudlin
Adjective
  • The bicentennial was the moment of nostalgic gluttony that topped them all, with its reenactment of battles, its old-fashioned sailing ships, and its outpouring of sappy patriotic products printed with the magic numerals 76.
    — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • The announcement may come as a shock for country fans who have followed the couple through their sappy podcast appearances and gushy acceptance speeches.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2026
Definition of sappy
Adjective
  • Salinger, then seventy-six, seemed to think his assessment of his alma mater had been too saccharine.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
  • This perfume combines the quintessential summer fruit with tonka bean, florals, plum nectar, and apple blossom for a truly memorable, sweet but not overly saccharine finish.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of saccharine
Adjective
  • Meadow walked the red carpet in a white tank with fuzzy pants and matching sandals and took photos alongside her late father’s costars ahead of the screening.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Photos were fuzzy—Swift appeared in an, ahem, lavender haze care of a sparkly lilac mini-dress.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of fuzzy

Browse Nearby Words

sentiment
sentimental
sentimentalism
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Cite this Entry

“Sentimental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentimental. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of sentimental for Spanish Speakers

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