sensational
adjective
sen·sa·tion·al
sen-ˈsā-sh(ə-)nəl 
2
: arousing or tending to arouse (as by lurid details) a quick, intense, and usually superficial interest, curiosity, or emotional reaction
sensational tabloid news
3
: exceedingly or unexpectedly excellent or great
a sensational talent
sensationally
adverb
Examples of sensational in a Sentence
She looked sensational in her new dress.
the sensational news story caused a stir, but after a few days everyone forgot about it
Recent Examples on the Web
Social media has introduced us to a different type of bait: Clickbait — provocative, sensational or emotionally appealing content in social media posts, headlines, videos and other platforms with the intent of luring clicks, shares or likes.
—
Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
The paperwork for Johnson’s trial — along with images of some of the handwritten documents — were officially entered into the court’s electronic court docketing system in 2021, marking a final chapter in a sensational saga that garnered international headlines.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
One of the few stories of the 2024 season on the LPGA Tour to rival Nelly Korda's sensational performance was Charley Hull's on-course smoking.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
The case, which drew intense and sensational press coverage and was credited with whipping up antisemitism and racial tensions in Georgia, certainly speaks to what many decry as a growing wave of anger and racial and religious intolerance in the U.S. today.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sensational
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
The paperwork for Johnson’s trial — along with images of some of the handwritten documents — were officially entered into the court’s electronic court docketing system in 2021, marking a final chapter in a sensational saga that garnered international headlines.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
One of the few stories of the 2024 season on the LPGA Tour to rival Nelly Korda's sensational performance was Charley Hull's on-course smoking.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
The case, which drew intense and sensational press coverage and was credited with whipping up antisemitism and racial tensions in Georgia, certainly speaks to what many decry as a growing wave of anger and racial and religious intolerance in the U.S. today.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sensational
Cite this Entry
“Sensational.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sensational. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sensational
adjective
sen·sa·tion·al
sen-ˈsā-shnəl
-shən-ᵊl,
sən-
1
: of or relating to sensation or the senses
2
: arousing a strong and usually shallow interest or emotional reaction
sensational news
3
: exceedingly or unexpectedly excellent or great
a sensational diving catch
sensationally
adverb
-ē
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share