sensationalism

noun

sen·​sa·​tion·​al·​ism sen-ˈsā-shnə-ˌli-zəm How to pronounce sensationalism (audio)
-shə-nə-ˌli-zəm
1
: empiricism that limits experience as a source of knowledge to sensation or sense perceptions
2
: the use or effect of sensational subject matter or treatment
sensationalist adjective or noun
sensationalistic
sen-ˌsā-shnə-ˈli-stik How to pronounce sensationalism (audio)
-shə-nə-ˈlis-tik
adjective

Examples of sensationalism in a Sentence

The network was accused of sensationalism in its reporting.
Recent Examples on the Web In tracing Holiday’s longtime drug and alcohol use, which damaged her health and led to her spending nearly a year in prison for narcotics possession, Alexander also delves into the unwarranted sensationalism with which the press often covered these matters at the time. The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 Spreading innocuous footage of his private moment with a loved one compounds the inhumane nature of jail and the bizarre nature of his trial, but the sensationalism of the call also distracts from it. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2024 The proliferation of dubious content in Taiwan is a symptom of widespread mistrust in its mainstream media, which often pursue sensationalism and are politically biased. Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2024 Simon Akam is analytical in his approach to this question, refraining from sensationalism and delivering a thoughtful essay, peppered with thrilling adventures. Carolyn Wells, Longreads, 1 Feb. 2024 For all the sensationalism of what was a very real ordeal, any accounting of it requires respect, both for the dead and for the living. John Anderson, WSJ, 2 Jan. 2024 Chowchilla is a work of sturdy, sensitive documentary filmmaking, devoid of glitz, exploitation or sensationalism. Chris Vognar, Rolling Stone, 3 Dec. 2023 Bye Bye Barry forgoes sensationalism and squawking beads for an implicit statement of the obvious: Barry Sanders owes you nothing. Chris Vognar, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023 The idea is to maximize the incentive for accuracy over sensationalism. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 29, 2023 The move comes shortly after the EU Commission launched a formal inquiry into whether the platform formerly known as Twitter had violated its obligations under the DSA. Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sensationalism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sensationalism was in 1846

Dictionary Entries Near sensationalism

Cite this Entry

“Sensationalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sensationalism. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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