What does sentimentally mean?
Sentimentally means in a way shaped by tender emotion, affection, nostalgia, or an idealized view of the past. It is commonly used to describe someone's emotional attachment to a person, place, period, or object, as in being sentimentally drawn to an old house or reluctant to sell a family photograph. The adverb can also characterize the treatment of a subject in art or literature, particularly when that treatment emphasizes emotion more faithfully than complexity. Its connotation is often mildly critical: sentimentalized accounts may be regarded as nostalgic, exaggerated, or insufficiently objective, although the word can simply describe an affectionate or nostalgic response. For example, a reader may remember a first love sentimentally, preserving both the excitement of the experience and the feelings associated with it. The word is especially useful when describing how personal memories and emotional values influence judgment.
adverbIn a sentimental manner; with strong or exaggerated appeal to tender feelings, memories, or emotion.
- In a way that is influenced by tender feelings, affection, nostalgia, or an idealized view of the past.
"She looked back at the old photographs sentimentally, unable to treat the past with complete detachment."
"The old photograph made him sentimentally reluctant to leave the house."
"Critics felt that the adaptation sentimentalized its source material."
To be sentimental is often to value what a memory means more than what it proves.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sentimentally come from?
The adverb was formed in the 19th century by adding the suffix -ly to sentimental. Sentimental in turn derives from sentiment, which was borrowed from French and ultimately from Latin sentire, meaning “to feel” or “to perceive.” Related English words such as sentient and sentience also trace to the same Latin root, although their historical development differs from that of sentiment.
Related word forms
How sentimentally is actually used
The adverb often implies emotional attachment and can suggest an overly idealized or nostalgic perspective. It is especially common in discussion of art, relationships, family, and memories.