as in sentimentality
the state or quality of having an excess of tender feelings (as of love, nostalgia, or compassion)
the novel's sentimentalism bored me
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Recent Examples of sentimentalism
The next few songs strand us on a mountaintop of sentimentalism, while subtly rebuking race and genre lines.
—
Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
In its commitment to a particular kind of sentimentalism, No Hard Feelings doesn’t fully lean into the raunchiness some might expect from its trailer or early buzz.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 June 2023
Wilde believed that, contrary to the claims of sentimentalism and of generations of prudish literary critics, the quality of a work of art does not depend on its ethical purity—that art depicting the degraded, the depraved, or the wicked can still be beautiful.
—Kathryn Schulz, The New Yorker, 19 June 2023
The film retains its signature tone — moving between humor and sentimentalism with a light touch — but there’s a greater effort now to connect Miles’ origin story to broader lessons about superhero canons.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 May 2023
See All Example Sentences for sentimentalism
Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
In its commitment to a particular kind of sentimentalism, No Hard Feelings doesn’t fully lean into the raunchiness some might expect from its trailer or early buzz.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 June 2023
Wilde believed that, contrary to the claims of sentimentalism and of generations of prudish literary critics, the quality of a work of art does not depend on its ethical purity—that art depicting the degraded, the depraved, or the wicked can still be beautiful.
—Kathryn Schulz, The New Yorker, 19 June 2023
The film retains its signature tone — moving between humor and sentimentalism with a light touch — but there’s a greater effort now to connect Miles’ origin story to broader lessons about superhero canons.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 May 2023
See All Example Sentences for sentimentalism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentimentalism
sentimentality
Noun
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Alex Foxworth Alex Foxworth, originally from Greensboro, N.C., infuses her designs with sentimentality and appreciation for her family lineage.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
27 July 2025
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Private equity moving into professional sports conjures the same fears of merciless efficiency in an industry driven by sentimentality, but Arougheti brushes off the concerns, arguing that institutional capital will increase profitability and allow owners to invest more in their teams.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
21 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sentimentalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentimentalism. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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