maudlin

Maudlin is an adjective describing tearful, self-pitying, or over-sentimental behavior, often in a way that seems cloying or insincere rather than genuinely moving. In common usage it carries a pejorative nuance, suggesting that the sentimentality is exaggerated, sentimental to the point of melodrama, or driven by intoxication or emotional manipulation.

The term derives from Mary Magdalene, a biblical figure repeatedly associated with tears. The modern sense emerged in English in the late 18th to early 19th century, narrowing to describe displays of excessive emotion that feel staged or unwelcome in serious contexts.

Maudlin is used to describe people, scenes, or works of art that evoke tears or sentiment in an unearned or awkward way. For example, a film scene might be labeled maudlin if it relies heavily on melodramatic music and cheap pathos rather than thoughtful storytelling. The word can apply to speech, writing, or behavior that leans into sentimentality to provoke sympathy rather than to convey a nuanced emotion.

Related terms include sentimental, lachrymose, and soppy; these share the sense of marked emotion but differ in connotation and degree. Maudlin often implies excess and a lack of restraint, whereas lachrymose emphasizes tearfulness, and sentimental can be more neutral or positive depending on context. Antonyms include sober, restrained, and unsentimental.