as in sloppy
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
a sentimental story about unrequited love
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sentimental
But Prairie Village is a sentimental spot for Bracco and his wife.
—
Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
None of the people close to them care about it because the majority of the people that are advising kids now are agents who are looking at it from a business perspective, or families that are not sentimental about any of this.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
None of the people close to them care about it because the majority of the people that are advising the kids now are agents who are looking at it from a business perspective, or families that are not sentimental about any of this.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
Multitracked saxophones swarm over a pit of molten bass frequencies, slipping between sentimental consonance—you might momentarily be reminded of Vangelis’ Blade Runner score—and eerie discord.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sentimental
Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
None of the people close to them care about it because the majority of the people that are advising kids now are agents who are looking at it from a business perspective, or families that are not sentimental about any of this.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
None of the people close to them care about it because the majority of the people that are advising the kids now are agents who are looking at it from a business perspective, or families that are not sentimental about any of this.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
Multitracked saxophones swarm over a pit of molten bass frequencies, slipping between sentimental consonance—you might momentarily be reminded of Vangelis’ Blade Runner score—and eerie discord.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sentimental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentimental
Adjective
-
Nico Hoerner hit a leadoff homer and then delivered an RBI double during a five-run fifth inning as the Chicago Cubs beat the sloppy Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Still, plushy, squelchy chairs don’t have to look sloppy either.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough that is slightly sticky, 5 minutes.—
Emily Teel,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Some scrapers feature a curved tip for working with sticky ingredients.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The book’s final section, comprising a reunion at a funeral, could have been mawkish but instead is moving … A riveting tale.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The mawkish qualities of the story are out in full force — the whole thing is narrated by a now-aged Daniel, who relates this tragic tale to a gaggle of his grandkids — but Mike Tuviera’s flat direction fails to make use of what could have been a great visual and emotional canvas.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Its almost schmaltzy final notes are a brilliant companion to Coppola’s unforgettable ending.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Good intentions — and handsome animation — aside, Forevergreen is ultimately too maudlin and moralistic to rank it much higher than this.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
-
As the whole business dragged on, the atmosphere started to seem less like a game show and more like the late-night Jerry Lewis telethons of the 1970s, in which a tired but pumped Lewis alternately griped at the audience, broke into maudlin emotion, or jumped up to welcome a new guest.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Welsh has a distinct desire to stay away from sappy and sentimental, too tidy for such a messy story.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Clark and Carol look on, a mixture of awe and exhaustion, as Floyd signs with this kid through his hands during another comically sappy pep talk.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Many imitation almond extracts or essences rely on synthetic benzaldehyde for flavor, which can create saccharine notes that overpower delicate desserts like custards, sponges, or pastry creams.—
Emily Saladino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
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In comparison, herts on fire’s linear indie folk ends up feeling somewhat saccharine.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s so much data in the spoken word that gets lost when those words are converted to text — just like compressing an audio file into a fuzzy MP3 removes some of the music.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
8 Apr. 2026
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The picture gets fuzzier in moms over 35, who are both more likely to be heading toward menopause and may be at greater risk for postpartum depression.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sentimental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentimental. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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