sentimental

adjective

sen·​ti·​men·​tal ˌsen-tə-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce sentimental (audio)
1
a
: marked or governed by feeling, sensibility, or emotional idealism
b
: resulting from feeling rather than reason or thought
a sentimental attachment
a sentimental favorite
2
: having an excess of sentiment or sensibility
sentimentally adverb

Examples of sentimental in a Sentence

He has a sentimental attachment to his old high school. She saved her wedding gown for sentimental reasons. He has sentimental ideas about the past. I tend to get very sentimental when I think about my childhood.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Their love story adds a sentimental layer that, in competing for narrative space, dilutes this send-up of American imperialism. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Jan. 2025 YouTube videos may offer sentimental types and younger curiosity seekers a means to luxuriate in the Old Way of Doing Things, but only a maniac would truly want to go back to that era. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 24 Jan. 2025 The idea that small acts of kindness can change the world isn’t just a nice sentimental thought — it’s backed by science. Kate Vitasek, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025 Image While perfectly pleasant to watch, the movement here, paired with the sentimental music, telegraphs a gravity that feels put on from the outside, rather than emanating from some deeper internal purpose or choreographic motor. Siobhan Burke, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for sentimental 

Word History

First Known Use

1741, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sentimental was in 1741

Dictionary Entries Near sentimental

Cite this Entry

“Sentimental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sentimental. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

sentimental

adjective
sen·​ti·​men·​tal ˌsent-ə-ˈment-ᵊl How to pronounce sentimental (audio)
1
a
: marked by feeling or sentiment
b
: resulting from feeling rather than reason or thought
2
: having an excess of sentiment or sensibility
sentimentally
-ᵊl-ē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on sentimental

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