WordGarden.iosentimental
C1Pronunciation
UK
- /sˌɛntɪmˈɛntəl/
US
- /ˌsɛnəˈmɛnəl/
Meanings
Adjective
feeling or evoking tender, nostalgic emotion
overly emotional in a soft or clichéd way
important because of personal memories or emotional attachment
Beyond the definition
If someone describes an old photograph as "sentimental," they mean it brings back warm memories and strong feelings, sometimes with a little sadness mixed in. A song might feel sentimental because it reminds you of your first love, or a place might feel that way because you spent happy summers there as a child. The word often suggests a deep personal attachment to people, times, or objects. It can be a gentle, positive word, but sometimes it also suggests being a little too led by feeling.
The word "sentimental" describes someone or something that is strongly moved by feelings, especially feelings of nostalgia, tenderness, or affection. It is often used for moments, objects, songs, films, and memories that carry personal meaning and stir the heart.
Think of a grandmother carefully keeping old letters and photographs. She is being sentimental because those things connect her to people she loves and to moments she does not want to lose. A sentimental movie might pull at your heartstrings and make you laugh and cry. It often looks at the past with warmth, focusing on happy memories, old relationships, or meaningful keepsakes.
However, "sentimental" can also have a slightly negative sense. If someone says a person is "too sentimental," they may mean that the person is letting feelings take over or seeing something in an overly soft or romantic way.
The word comes from "sentiment," meaning a feeling or emotion. A simple object can become sentimental if it holds special personal meaning, like a ticket stub from an important trip or a watch passed down through a family. In that way, the word is not just about emotion itself, but about the emotional value we give to things.
So, whether you're describing a cherished keepsake, a touching story, or someone who wears their heart on their sleeve, "sentimental" speaks to the power of emotion and the enduring importance of memories.
Examples
- 1
Personal reasons
She kept all her childhood letters for sentimental reasons.
- 2
Old music
He gets sentimental whenever he hears that old song.
- 3
Personal value
The watch isn't worth much money, but it has great sentimental value.
- Phrasesentimental value
personal value because of memories, not money
- 4
Nostalgia
I know I'm being sentimental, but I miss our old apartment.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Overemotional tone
The ending was too sentimental for my taste.
- Phrasetoo sentimental
more emotional than the speaker likes
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- unsentimental
- matter-of-fact
Used with (collocations)
- sentimental value
- sentimental journey
- get sentimental
- sentimental favorite
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- sentimentaladjective