What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
mawkishly
Example
The movie's ending was so mawkishly sentimental that it made me cringe. [mawkishly: adverb]
Example
She spoke mawkishly about her lost love, causing everyone to roll their eyes. [mawkishly: adverb]
sentimentally
Example
He looked at the old photo album sentimentally, remembering his childhood. [sentimentally: adverb]
Example
She spoke sentimentally about her grandmother, who had passed away years ago. [sentimentally: adverb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Sentimentally is more commonly used than mawkishly in everyday language. Sentimentally is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while mawkishly is less common and may be considered more formal or literary.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between mawkishly and sentimentally?
Mawkishly is typically associated with a more formal or literary tone, while sentimentally is more versatile and can be employed in both formal and informal contexts.