maudlinism
Definition
Noun (uncountable): The quality or state of being maudlin; excessive, self-indulgent sentimentality, often accompanied by tearfulness or emotional weakness.
Usage Examples
- (His overly sentimental and tearful behaviour was excessive.)
- (The movie’s excessive sentimentality felt forced and insincere.)
- (She attempted to suppress her emotional weakness and tearfulness.)
Advanced Usage
"the maudlinism of nostalgia": referring to overly sentimental longing for the past.
- The old photographs stirred a maudlinism that left him staring out the window. (The photos triggered an excessive, tearful nostalgia.)
"to descend into maudlinism": to become overly emotional in a self-pitying way.
- After a few drinks, he would descend into maudlinism, recounting past regrets. (He would become weepy and sentimental about his own life.)
Variants and Related Words
Maudlin (adj): overly sentimental or emotional, often tearfully so.
- She gave a maudlin speech at the ceremony. (Her speech was excessively sentimental.)
Maudlinly (adv): in a maudlin manner.
- He spoke maudlinly about his lost youth. (He spoke with tearful sentimentality.)
Synonyms
- Sentimentality: excessive tenderness or emotional appeal.
- Mawkishness: sickly or false sentimentality.
- Tearfulness: the tendency to cry easily.
- Self-pity: excessive pity for oneself.
Related Idioms
"Crocodile tears": false or exaggerated displays of sorrow; often associated with maudlinism.
- His maudlinism was just crocodile tears to gain sympathy. (His tearfulness was insincere.)
"Wearing one's heart on one's sleeve": openly showing one's emotions, sometimes to the point of maudlinism.
- Her constant maudlinism meant she always wore her heart on her sleeve. (She openly displayed her excessive sentimentality.)
Word Family
- Maudlin (adj)
- Maudlinly (adv)
- Maudlinness (n) (less common synonym for maudlinism)