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 At once pugnaciously combative and unreservedly sentimental, Landon chose to take the series out with a commentary on class revolt. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026 At its deepest level, this work is fueled by unconditional love—not sentimental or passive love but love as discipline, courage and commitment. — Yujia Zhu, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 This year, make your social media post one for the history books with these festive, funny, and sentimental Fourth of July Instagram captions. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 2 July 2026 Like many sentimental folks, Joan had a hard time discarding the cards. — Anna Halkidis, The Spruce, 1 July 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
  • No one likes the sloppy tailoring of Octavius’s open-back suit, but Law loves the jacket.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • This thick, brownish concoction, a kind of hot dog chili, is sloppy, packs some heat, and the fiery punch to the taste buds can be a surprise to the uninitiated.
    — USA TODAY Network, USA Today, 15 July 2026
Definition of sloppy
Adjective
  • The metal shelving across from the ice machines had sticky accumulation.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 17, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
  • To diagnose those sticky tasks and peddle its tools, Snap-on relies on thousands of franchisees, who make weekly visits to nearly a million neighborhood mechanics in custom company vans.
    — Scott Horsley, NPR, 17 July 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
  • 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
  • Highly earnest—sometimes even maudlin—the show is a throwback to the serial medical dramas that were omnipresent in the nineties and twenty-tens.
    — David S. Wallace, New Yorker, 16 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
  • Overdo it, and your recipe becomes too saccharine.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 22 June 2026
  • With a minimal, yet still impactful, pastel floral design, the rug hedges its saccharine design with ample negative space.
    — Briana Feigon, Architectural Digest, 17 June 2026
Definition of saccharine
Adjective
  • The extra work to spot it may be worth it, though, to see the space object's fuzzy glow and striking tail.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 July 2026
  • Cece got out of bed, put on a pair of fuzzy pink slippers, and stomped to her mother’s office.
    — Jessica Contrera, New Yorker, 13 July 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 18 Jul. 2026.

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