as in sloppy
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
a sentimental story about unrequited love
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sentimental
Some of the letters are sentimental and moving.
—
Michael Schaub, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
These are soccer’s two legendary, aging-yet-still-marvelous rivals, their fight against time adding a sentimental pathos.
—Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
The bulk of McCartney’s setlist consisted of Beatles songs—more than 20 of them—but the show didn’t feel like a nostalgia tour, because the effect was less sentimental and more elegiac.
—David L. Ulin, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
Rihanna's sentimental piece, of course, will never go out of style; those meaningful moments will only be more precious as time goes on!
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sentimental
Michael Schaub, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
These are soccer’s two legendary, aging-yet-still-marvelous rivals, their fight against time adding a sentimental pathos.
—Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
The bulk of McCartney’s setlist consisted of Beatles songs—more than 20 of them—but the show didn’t feel like a nostalgia tour, because the effect was less sentimental and more elegiac.
—David L. Ulin, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
Rihanna's sentimental piece, of course, will never go out of style; those meaningful moments will only be more precious as time goes on!
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sentimental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentimental
Adjective
-
These Amazon finds are made for petite travelers who want to stay comfortable without defaulting to sloppy sweats.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
14 May 2026
-
Spurs seemed to run out of energy and their passing became sloppy.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Belonging to the same group of mammals as sloths and anteaters, armadillos are voracious insectivores that eat large numbers of beetles, grubs, ants, termites, and other insects, grabbing them with their sticky tongues.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
-
If a creature is small enough to swallow and not spiny or sticky or otherwise resists Yoshi's tongue, it will be turned into a green egg that's the series standard.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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Even its final bars of Gregorian chanting, one of many bells and whistles stuffed between the mawkish choruses, can’t lift this track out of the morass.—
Linnie Greene,
Pitchfork,
29 Apr. 2026
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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
Adjective
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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
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Its almost schmaltzy final notes are a brilliant companion to Coppola’s unforgettable ending.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Visits would culminate in tears and maudlin mutual reassurances.—
Nicholas Dawidoff,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
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The maudlin song, whose lyrics too sincere to be funny, will appear on the group’s upcoming Everyone for Ten Minutes, out May 22.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Time hasn’t diminished her flinty chemistry with Meryl Streep or Emily Blunt, thank God, though her moments with Stanley Tucci drift into needlessly sappy terrain.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
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Not too serious or sappy, but with room for both earnestness and whimsy.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The movie is simultaneously more depressing than the original and more saccharine, with a repellent amount of affection between characters who should know better.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
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The symbol of the rainbow is saccharine, an easy metaphor, but who cares.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Meanwhile, Dara looks fly as hell in a bikini, a blue fuzzy jacket, and ski goggles on her head.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
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The voice in the recording is tense, fuzzy and hard to make out amid a riot of background chatter.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sentimental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentimental. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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