sensationalize
verb
sen·sa·tion·al·ize
sen-ˈsā-sh(ə-)nə-ˌlīz 
sensationalized; sensationalizing
: to present in a sensational manner
Examples of sensationalize in a Sentence
Journalists should report the news accurately without trying to sensationalize it.
Recent Examples on the Web
Some conservative groups in South Africa have misrepresented facts about farm murders, sensationalizing them by fixating on exceptionally violent cases and promoting the idea that all farm murders are politically and racially motivated.
—
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025
Burnett’s early films have been credited for their honest rendering of Black working-class life in Los Angeles, a milieu rarely shown, or at best sensationalized, by Hollywood.
—Ben Kenigsberg, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
But the Labor Department itself responded to the report at the time that the claims were these same pseudo records, and that mischaracterizing them risked sensationalizing the aid program.
—Emily Badger, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
At a moment when sensationalized true-crime documentaries are often the ones that top the trending charts, Garbus knowing where to draw the line is what sets quality apart from quantity in the streaming age.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sensationalize
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Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025
Burnett’s early films have been credited for their honest rendering of Black working-class life in Los Angeles, a milieu rarely shown, or at best sensationalized, by Hollywood.
—Ben Kenigsberg, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
But the Labor Department itself responded to the report at the time that the claims were these same pseudo records, and that mischaracterizing them risked sensationalizing the aid program.
—Emily Badger, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
At a moment when sensationalized true-crime documentaries are often the ones that top the trending charts, Garbus knowing where to draw the line is what sets quality apart from quantity in the streaming age.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sensationalize
Cite this Entry
“Sensationalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sensationalize. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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