Sensational
Causing great public interest or excitement; remarkably impressive or dramatic, often intended to shock or entertain.
adjectiveSensational
Causing great public interest or excitement; remarkably impressive or dramatic, often intended to shock or entertain.
adjectiveImagine This
Imagine a flashy newspaper headline in enormous red letters about a celebrity scandal, with bright photos and loud graphics designed to grab attention and stir strong emotions.
Sounds Like
sen-SEY-shuh-nl
Looks Like
Looks like sensation (root sense) or sens- words; visually similar to sensation and sensibility.
Remember This
Sensational describes presentation that aims to provoke strong feelings; the noun form is sensationalism and the verb form is sensationalize.
Other Forms
Connect With
dramatic, exciting, shocking, provocative, lurid
Note
Use carefully: sensational can imply exaggeration or bias in reporting. Do not confuse with sensory (relating to the senses) or sensitive (easily affected). Not every impressive event is sensational.
Study Deeper
- The tabloid published sensational headlines about the celebrity scandal.
- Her sensational performance captivated the audience and earned widespread praise.
From sensation (Latin sensatio, from sentire 'to feel') + the suffix -al; related to arousing the senses or feelings.
Mnemonic: SENSE-sational — it hits your senses and makes you say, wow, that is sensational.
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