sentimental

adjective

ˌsen-tə-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce sentimental (audio)
Definition of sentimentalnext
as in sticky
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 For Sombr, being a part of these celebrations—a decade after his passing—was sentimental and special. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026 Display sentimental items like letters, china, or trinkets creatively, using them in daily life. — Kylie Petty, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Sep. 2026 The silky sound of the violins playing a sentimental tune until raw desire bursts out into the open. — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026 The beach is notably the same one where her parents had married years earlier, making the proposal extremely sentimental. — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sentimental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentimental
  1. sticky
  2. sloppy
  3. mawkish
  4. schmaltzy
  5. maudlin
  6. sappy
  7. saccharine
  8. fuzzy
Adjective
  • The lightweight, slightly milky formula sank into my skin quickly without feeling sticky or heavy, leaving behind a luminous finish that made my complexion look fresher almost immediately.
    — Lucy Partington, Glamour, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Our highlights were the sticky Yabba pot rice and the lamb curry, which were fragrant and delicate but packed a punch.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of sticky
Adjective
  • One possibility is that teams are simply playing sloppier football.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • But sloppy play extended the fifth inning and put the Dodgers in a hole again.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of sloppy
Adjective
  • Elordi’s performance is a fine one, but any emotional current from the screen to the audience is made choppy by mawkish blasts to the past, Hig at the edge of his bed, head in hands.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 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
  • Congenitally optimistic without being saccharine, Paul Baker was, in Season 2, the nexus of a love triangle in which his character felt torn between his girlfriend, Rao’s Issa, and his husband, Thiele’s Anton.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The fan art features moody Ivy League backdrops with bunny ears, heavy tomes, blood-red candles and saccharine doll-like fashion.
    — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of saccharine
Adjective
  • Star Moles’ Emily Moales has this voice that causes certain words to leave her lips backlit, ringed in fuzzy halos.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Meta’s Muse agent mascot, named Jolly, is a fuzzy, chubby, rosy-cheeked creature that’s part-Labubu, part-Squishmallow.
    — Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 6 Oct. 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 8 Oct. 2026.

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