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Sentimentality: meaning, definitions and examples

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sentimentality

 

[ ˌsɛntɪmɛnˈtælɪti ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

expressing emotions

Sentimentality is the quality of being excessively sentimental or emotional, especially in a way that seems insincere.

Synonyms

emotionalism, mawkishness, schmaltz

Examples of usage

  • His speech was full of sentimentality, but lacked any real depth.
  • She was accused of using sentimentality to manipulate others.
  • The movie was criticized for its sentimentality, as it tried too hard to evoke emotions.
  • The author's writing style is often criticized for its sentimentality.
  • Her sentimental nature often leads her to make irrational decisions.
Context #2 | Noun

nostalgia

Sentimentality can also refer to a nostalgic or emotional attachment to the past, especially in a way that is considered excessive or exaggerated.

Synonyms

emotional attachment, nostalgia, sentimentalism

Examples of usage

  • He couldn't help but feel a sense of sentimentality when he visited his childhood home.
  • The sentimental journey through old photographs brought tears to her eyes.
  • His sentimentality for the good old days often clouds his judgment of the present.
  • The sentimental value of the heirloom made it priceless to her.
  • The film evoked a strong sense of sentimentality for the viewers.

Translations

Translations of the word "sentimentality" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sentimentalidade

🇮🇳 भावुकता

🇩🇪 Sentimentalität

🇮🇩 sentimentalisme

🇺🇦 сентиментальність

🇵🇱 sentymentalność

🇯🇵 感傷的

🇫🇷 sentimentalité

🇪🇸 sentimentalismo

🇹🇷 duygusallık

🇰🇷 감상적임

🇸🇦 العاطفية

🇨🇿 sentimentalita

🇸🇰 sentimentalita

🇨🇳 感伤

🇸🇮 sentimentalnost

🇮🇸 tilfinningasemi

🇰🇿 сентименталдық

🇬🇪 სენტიმენტალური

🇦🇿 sentimentalizm

🇲🇽 sentimentalismo

Etymology

The word sentimentality originated in the late 18th century, derived from the French word 'sentimentalité' and the Latin word 'sentimentalis'. It initially referred to the quality of being sentimental, but over time, it evolved to encompass both excessive emotional expression and nostalgic attachment to the past.

See also: presentiment, sentiment, sentimental, sentimentalism, sentimentalist, sentimentally, sentiments, unsentimental.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #19,561, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.