Standard Lemma guide

sensationalize

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: S EH0 N S EY2 SH AH0 N AH0 L AY1 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To glorify or inflate the importance of a piece of news; to artificially create a sensation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: British, English, Oxford, US

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English sensation English -al English sensational Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English sensationalize From sensational + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 引起轟動 /引起轰动 (yǐnqǐ hōngdòng) — Translations
  • Chinese Mandarin: 炒作 (chǎozuò) — Translations
  • French: sensationnaliser — Translations
  • German: aufbauschen — Translations
  • German: dick auftragen — Translations
  • German: dramatisieren — Translations
  • German: hochspielen — Translations
  • German: übertreiben — Translations
  • Russian: де́лать сенса́цию (délatʹ sensáciju) — Translations
  • Russian: сенсационализи́ровать (sensacionalizírovatʹ) — Translations
  • Spanish: sensacionalizar — Translations