sentimentalize: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Literary, Critical
Quick answer
What does “sentimentalize” mean?
To treat, regard, or portray something in an excessively sentimental or emotional way.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To treat, regard, or portray something in an excessively sentimental or emotional way.
To indulge in or evoke tender, nostalgic, or wistful feelings to an exaggerated or unrealistic degree, often distorting the true nature of a subject.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling, pronunciation, or usage differences. Both varieties use the word identically.
Connotations
Identical negative/pejorative connotation in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-to-mid frequency in both, found primarily in literary, journalistic, and academic/critical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “sentimentalize” in a Sentence
[Subject] sentimentalizes [Object] (e.g., The film sentimentalizes war).It is easy to sentimentalize [Object] (e.g., It is easy to sentimentalize one's school days).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sentimentalize” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The documentary carefully avoids any attempt to sentimentalise the difficult period.
- His memoirs sentimentalise his time in the army, omitting the boredom and fear.
American English
- Politicians often sentimentalize a simpler past that never really existed.
- The movie's ending sentimentalizes the tragedy, undermining its earlier powerful message.
adverb
British English
- [Usage is extremely rare. Typically 'sentimentally' is used instead.]
American English
- [Usage is extremely rare. Typically 'sentimentally' is used instead.]
adjective
British English
- He gave a sentimentalised account of his working-class upbringing.
- The film was criticised for its sentimentalised portrayal of Victorian London.
American English
- Her sentimentalized version of events ignored the complex realities.
- I prefer gritty realism to sentimentalized nostalgia.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used critically in marketing/PR contexts: 'We must avoid sentimentalizing our company history in the new campaign.'
Academic
Common in literary, film, and cultural studies criticism: 'The author's later work sentimentalizes the struggles of the rural poor.'
Everyday
Uncommon. Used when criticizing overly emotional portrayals: 'Don't sentimentalize our old house; it was damp and cramped.'
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sentimentalize”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sentimentalize”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sentimentalize”
- Using it as a direct synonym for 'to feel sentimental about'. (Incorrect: 'I sentimentalize my grandmother.' Correct: 'I feel sentimental about my grandmother' or 'I tend to sentimentalize my childhood.')
- Misspelling as 'sentimentalise' in American English contexts (UK accepts both '-ize' and '-ise', but US only '-ize').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, almost always. It is used critically to imply that someone is being overly emotional, unrealistic, or mawkish in their treatment of a subject.
It would be unusual and self-critical. Saying 'I sentimentalize my childhood' suggests you know your view is exaggerated and unrealistically positive. Normally, you'd say 'I feel sentimental about my childhood'.
They are very close synonyms. 'Romanticize' emphasizes making something seem more exciting, adventurous, or ideal than it was. 'Sentimentalize' emphasizes making it more emotionally tender, poignant, or 'sweet' than it was. They often overlap.
'Sentimentalization' (or 'sentimentalisation' in UK spelling variants). Example: 'The sentimentalization of nature in his poetry.'
To treat, regard, or portray something in an excessively sentimental or emotional way.
Sentimentalize is usually formal, literary, critical in register.
Sentimentalize: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsen.tɪˈmen.təl.aɪz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsen.t̬əˈmen.t̬əl.aɪz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not commonly used in fixed idioms]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a SENTIMENT-AL-ICE. Someone is freezing a feeling (sentiment) in a big block of ice, preserving it in an exaggerated, artificial, and coldly perfect way. They are sentimentalizing it.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTION IS A SUGAR COATING / EMOTION IS A FILTER (that distorts reality).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary connotation of the verb 'to sentimentalize'?