sentimental

/ˌsentɪˈmentl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌsentɪˈmentl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌsen-tə-ˈmen-tᵊl/ (ame, mw)

sentimental — adjective

  • sentimentalpositive
  • more sentimentalcomparative
  • most sentimentalsuperlative

1. easily guided by warm feelings or happy memories instead of calm practical judgm

1.形容詞B2
釋義

easily guided by warm feelings or happy memories instead of calm practical judgment.

例句

Elena made a sentimental decision and kept the broken watch.

attributive use: sentimental + decision

After hearing the old song, Christopher grew sentimental about his school years.

pattern: grow sentimental about

同義詞
  • emotional

    broader and can describe any strong feeling, not especially warm memories

  • nostalgic

    specifically looks back fondly on the past, while sentimental can also affect present decisions

  • soft-hearted

    stresses kindness and sympathy more than weak judgment

反義詞
  • practical

    focused on useful facts and results rather than emotion

  • unsentimental

    not moved by tender feelings or memories

  • hard-headed

    makes decisions in a firm, realistic way

文法句型

be sentimental about/toward something

grow sentimental about the past

a sentimental decision / attachment / value

用法筆記

Often used for people, judgments, or attachments shaped by affection or memory rather than practical thinking. Common with about or toward when the feeling is linked to places, objects, or earlier times.

常見錯誤

❌He is sentimental for his old bike.
✅He is sentimental about his old bike.
💡Use about for the thing that brings the feeling.
❌The judge made a sentimental choice based on the evidence.
✅The judge made a practical choice based on the evidence.
💡In this sense, sentimental means guided by feeling rather than facts.

2. showing tender or sad feelings so strongly that the effect seems excessive or in

2.形容詞B2
釋義

showing tender or sad feelings so strongly that the effect seems excessive or insincere.

例句

The advert feels sentimental, with slow music and tearful close-ups.

predicative use: feels sentimental

Some readers found the ending too sentimental to be convincing.

pattern: too sentimental to + verb

同義詞
  • mawkish

    more strongly negative and suggests weak, sickly emotion

  • sappy

    informal and often used for films or songs that feel too soft or romantic

  • corny

    adds the idea of being old-fashioned or unoriginal, not just emotional

反義詞

文法句型

be/feel sentimental

too sentimental to + verb

a sentimental film / song / ending

find/call something sentimental

用法筆記

Often used critically for stories, songs, speeches, or advertisements that push tenderness or sadness too hard. Unlike sense 1, this meaning suggests the emotion feels overdone rather than simply heartfelt.

常見錯誤

❌The report was sentimental because it listed the dates clearly.
✅The report was factual, not sentimental.
💡This sense describes an overly emotional effect, not careful detail.
❌The comedy was sentimental because everyone laughed loudly.
✅The comedy was funny, not sentimental.
💡Sentimental suggests tender or sad feeling, not humor.