Sentimentalism: meaning, definitions and examples

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sentimentalism

[ ˌsentɪmɛnˈtlɪzəm ]

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emotions

Sentimentalism is the excessive indulgence in or expression of tender emotions, often in an exaggerated or fake way. It involves an overemphasis on emotional feelings, especially those of love, pity, or nostalgia.

Synonyms

corniness, emotionalism, mawkishness

Examples of usage

He couldn't help but cringe at the sentimentalism of the romantic movie.
Her sentimentalism towards her childhood toys was evident in the way she kept them all these years.
The novel was criticized for its sentimentalism, as the characters' emotions seemed forced and unrealistic.

Translations

Translations of the word "sentimentalism" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sentimentalismo

🇮🇳 भावुकता

🇩🇪 Sentimentalität

🇮🇩 sentimentalisme

🇺🇦 сентименталізм

🇵🇱 sentymentalizm

🇯🇵 センチメンタリズム

🇫🇷 sentimentalisme

🇪🇸 sentimentalismo

🇹🇷 duygusallık

🇰🇷 감상주의

🇸🇦 العاطفية

🇨🇿 sentimentalismus

🇸🇰 sentimentalizmus

🇨🇳 感伤主义

🇸🇮 sentimentalizem

🇮🇸 tilfinningasemi

🇰🇿 сентиментализм

🇬🇪 სენტიმენტალიზმი

🇦🇿 sentimentalizm

🇲🇽 sentimentalismo

Word origin

The term sentimentalism originated in the 18th century as a literary and artistic movement that emphasized the expression of emotions and feelings. It was a reaction against the rationalism of the Enlightenment period and sought to evoke strong emotional responses in the audience or readers. Sentimentalism can be seen in various forms of art, literature, and music, where the focus is on evoking empathy and sympathy through emotional appeal.