cheap sentiment

USAGE SUMMARY

"cheap sentiment" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that seems heartfelt or meaningful but is actually insincere or hollow. For example, "John's apology was little more than cheap sentiment - he obviously didn't mean it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Arts

Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

"If there's one thing I despise, it's cheap sentiment," he says.

The Washington Post

And those hard-nosed realists who are immune to its siren call dismiss it -- wrongly, of course -- as cheap sentiment.

The New York Times - Health

Most notoriously, he denounced its cheap sentiment in an interview with Reader's Digest and called the second season "atrocious," preceded by an adverb that cannot be written here.

The New York Times

It's obviously inspired by Mr. Fox's own experiences, and celebrates fatherhood while trying to demystify the disease and defuse cheap sentiment or pity.

The New York Times - Arts

The glance sees little in women-centric stories besides cheap sentiment, or its opposite, the uninteresting compensatory propaganda of "female strength".

The Guardian

Yes, Hollywood knows it gets easy laughs portraying short yellow people speaking fractured English, and cheap sentiment exploiting warrior virtues now ridiculed by the Japanese themselves.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

An erasure of the individual lives of those struggling with Britain's housing crisis, and a thoughtless reduction of our messy urban histories to cheap, tacky sentiment, designed to satisfy outsiders, and imposed from above.

Vice

He kept producing, apparently with equal relish, daintily poetic landscapes like "View on the River Wye," dated 1844, and melodramatic affairs like "The Last Judgement," circa 1849 53, as awkwardly executed as it is cheap in sentiment.

The New York Times - Arts

Tracing the progression of the disease as it takes a devastating physical toll on the once-strapping leading man, the film, which took home the audience award for best documentary feature at last year's Los Angeles Film Festival, never stoops to cheap, easy sentiment.

Los Angeles Times

Sentiment comes cheap in throwaway pop songs and in advertising.

The Guardian - Arts

"We like cheap stocks, so negative sentiment is our friend," he said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cheap sentiment", ensure the context clearly indicates the insincerity or lack of depth you are implying. Avoid using it merely as a synonym for "emotion" or "feeling".

Common error

Avoid using "cheap sentiment" to describe genuine emotions simply because they are simple or common. The phrase implies insincerity or manipulation, not just simplicity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cheap sentiment" functions as a noun phrase, where "cheap" modifies the noun "sentiment". It serves to describe a particular type of feeling or emotion that is perceived as insincere, superficial, or manipulative. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Arts

10%

Opinion

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "cheap sentiment" is used to describe emotions or expressions that lack sincerity or depth. Ludwig AI confirms that it's grammatically correct and usable in written English. It's typically found in news articles, reviews, and opinion pieces, serving a critical purpose. When using "cheap sentiment", ensure that the context clearly implies insincerity rather than just simple emotion. Alternatives like "empty platitude" or "insincere emotion" can be used depending on the specific shade of meaning you wish to convey. Remember, this phrase is about deceptive or manipulative feelings, not genuine ones.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

insincere emotion

Highlights the lack of genuine feeling behind the expression.

shallow feeling

Underscores the lack of depth and sincerity.

hollow expression

Emphasizes the lack of depth and meaning.

superficial sentiment

Suggests a lack of genuine emotional investment.

empty platitude

Focuses on the lack of substance in the expressed sentiment.

artificial feeling

Suggests a manufactured or fake emotional display.

forced emotion

Emphasizes the unnatural and strained quality of the sentiment.

contrived emotion

Indicates a deliberately created and often exaggerated feeling.

mawkish sentimentality

Points to an excessive and often distasteful display of emotion.

overwrought emotion

Highlights the excessive and uncontrolled nature of the feeling.

FAQs

How can I use "cheap sentiment" in a sentence?

Use "cheap sentiment" to describe emotions or expressions that seem heartfelt but are actually insincere or manipulative. For example, "His apology felt like "cheap sentiment", designed to garner sympathy rather than express remorse".

What's the difference between "cheap sentiment" and "genuine emotion"?

"Cheap sentiment" suggests insincerity or a lack of depth, while "genuine emotion" refers to a sincere and heartfelt feeling. The former is often used for manipulative purposes, while the latter is an honest expression of feeling.

What can I say instead of "cheap sentiment"?

You can use alternatives like "empty platitude", "insincere emotion", or "hollow expression" depending on the context.

Is "cheap sentiment" a formal or informal phrase?

"Cheap sentiment" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it's generally more common in journalistic or critical writing where the writer is analyzing or critiquing something.