Sentimentalism (Noun)
Meaning 1
The excessive expression of tender feelings, nostalgia, or sadness in any form.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The old man's sentimentalism was on full display as he teared up while watching his granddaughter graduate from college.
- Critics accused the filmmaker of resorting to sentimentalism in the movie's overly dramatic finale.
- The singer's latest ballad was dismissed as sentimentalism by music critics, who felt it relied too heavily on clichéd lyrics and melodrama.
- Her friends found her sentimentalism about the old apartment tiresome, as she refused to part with even the smallest memento.
- The poet's use of overly flowery language was seen as a form of sentimentalism, rather than a genuine expression of emotion.
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
Meaning 2
A predilection for sentimentality.
Classification
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects.
Examples
- Her fondness for antique jewelry was a reflection of her sentimentalism, as each piece reminded her of a special moment in her life.
- The movie's over-the-top romantic ending was criticized for its sentimentalism, which some viewers found cloying and insincere.
- The artist's use of warm colors and nostalgic imagery was seen as a manifestation of her sentimentalism, which often influenced her creative decisions.
- The novelist's sentimentalism was evident in the way she wrote about the protagonist's childhood, filling the pages with overly sentimental descriptions of love and loss.
- The director's sentimentalism was on full display in the film's finale, which featured a montage of happy memories set to a sappy soundtrack.