as in sentimentalism
the state or quality of having an excess of tender feelings (as of love, nostalgia, or compassion)
the sentimentality of the story of star-crossed lovers only made it even more popular with moviegoers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sentimentality
The result, combined with vocal chops and a fondness for irony over sentimentality, merged yuppie rock fans, aging punk-rockers, Nashville regulars, and Tonight show viewers (where lang has appeared several times) into one of the broadest possible pop audiences.
—
EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Brie had it on the whole weekend, and Franco has kept it all these years out of sentimentality.
—Erin Clack, People.com, 4 Aug. 2025
The jewelry company and Mattel brand embrace nostalgia and sentimentality, with new charms, jewelry pieces and more.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 25 July 2025
What layer of sentimentality about the revolution to you is most dangerous to the true history or to the complexity of histories?
—CBS News, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sentimentality
EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Brie had it on the whole weekend, and Franco has kept it all these years out of sentimentality.
—Erin Clack, People.com, 4 Aug. 2025
The jewelry company and Mattel brand embrace nostalgia and sentimentality, with new charms, jewelry pieces and more.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 25 July 2025
What layer of sentimentality about the revolution to you is most dangerous to the true history or to the complexity of histories?
—CBS News, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sentimentality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentimentality
sentimentalism
Noun
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McBride is less interested in exploring another motivation for saving locks of hair: the particular sentimentalism that made people cherish the hair of loved ones, especially those who had died, or of honored forebears.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
21 July 2025
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While leaders of the nature-study movement warned against sentimentalism and make-believe, young readers were delighted by such tales.—
Jessica George,
JSTOR Daily,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sentimentality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentimentality. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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