Word Study
sensational
CIDE DICTIONARY
sensational, a.
- Of or pertaining to sensation; as, sensational nerves. [1913 Webster]
- Of or pertaining to sensationalism, or the doctrine that sensation is the sole origin of knowledge. [1913 Webster]
- Suited or intended to excite temporarily great interest or emotion; melodramatic; emotional; as, sensational plays or novels; sensational preaching; sensational journalism; a sensational report. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
sensational, adj.
1 causing or intended to cause great public excitement etc.
2 of or causing sensation.
1 causing or intended to cause great public excitement etc.
2 of or causing sensation.
Derivative
sensationally adv.
THESAURUS
sensational
Barnumesque, Gongoresque, Johnsonian, acid, affected, amazing, arresting, astonishing, astounding, bedizened, beguiling, bewildering, big-sounding, biting, blatant, brazen, brazenfaced, breathtaking, cloak-and-dagger, coarse, colored, colorful, conspicuous, convoluted, cool, corrosive, crashing, crude, cutting, dandy, declamatory, divine, dramatic, driving, effective, electrifying, elevated, emotionalistic, emotive, enigmatic, euphuistic, exaggerated, exceptional, exciting, exquisite, extraordinary, extravagant, extreme, fabulous, fantastic, fascinating, flagrant, flamboyant, flaming, flaring, flashy, flaunting, forceful, forcible, fulsome, galvanizing, garish, gaudy, gilt-edged, glaring, glorious, golden, gorgeous, grandiloquent, grandiose, grandisonant, great, groovy, gutsy, hair-raising, hammy, heavenly, high-flowing, high-flown, high-flying, high-sounding, highfalutin, histrionic, hot, hunky-dory, hysteric, immense, imperative, impressive, incisive, incomprehensible, inconceivable, incredible, inkhorn, juicy, keen, labyrinthine, lexiphanic, livid, lofty, loud, lurid, magnificent, magniloquent, marked, marvelous, matchless, melodramatic, meretricious, mind-blowing, mind-boggling, miraculous, mordant, nervous, nonpareil, nonrational, obtrusive, orotund, ostentatious, outlandish, outstanding, overdone, overdrawn, overelaborate, overemotional, overinvolved, overwrought, passing strange, pedantic, peerless, penetrating, phenomenal, piercing, piquant, poignant, pointed, pompous, powerful, pretentious, prodigious, prominent, punchy, pungent, puzzling, rare, remarkable, rhetorical, rousing, salient, screaming, sensationalistic, sensatory, sensitive, sensorial, sensual, sententious, shameless, shocking, showy, signal, sinewed, sinewy, slashing, smash, smashing, sonorous, spectacular, spine-chilling, splendid, splendiferous, staggering, sterling, stilted, stimulating, stirring, strange, striking, strong, stunning, stupendous, sultry, super, superb, supereminent, superexcellent, superfine, superior, tabloid, tall, tawdry, telling, terrific, theatrical, thrilling, tortuous, tremendous, trenchant, unbelievable, unheard-of, unimaginable, unique, unprecedented, unreasoning, very good, vigorous, vital, vivid, vulgar, wonderful, wondrous, yellowROGET THESAURUS
sensational
Vigor
N vigor, power, force, boldness, raciness, intellectual, force, spirit, point, antithesis, piquance, piquancy, verve, glow, fire, warmth, strong language, gravity, sententiousness, elevation, loftiness, sublimity, eloquence, command of words, command of language, vigorous, nervous, powerful, forcible, trenchant, incisive, impressive, sensational, spirited, lively, glowing, sparkling, racy, bold, slashing, pungent, piquant, full of point, pointed, pithy, antithetical, sententious, lofty, elevated, sublime, eloquent, vehement, petulant, impassioned, poetic, in glowing terms, in good set terms, in no measured terms, thoughts that breath and words that burn.Excitation
N excitation of feeling, mental excitement, suscitation, galvanism, stimulation, piquance, piquancy, provocation, inspiration, calling forth, infection, animation, agitation, perturbation, subjugation, fascination, intoxication, enravishment, entrancement, pressure, tension, high pressure, unction, impressiveness, trail of temper, casus belli, irritation, passion, thrill, repression of feeling, sensationalism, yellow journalism, excited, wrought up, up the qui vive, astir, sparkling, in a quiver, in a fever, in a ferment, in a blaze, in a state of excitement, in hysterics, black in the face, overwrought, tense, taught, on a razor's edge, hot, red-hot, flushed, feverish, all of a twitter, in a pucker, with quivering lips, with tears in one's eyes, flaming, boiling over, ebullient, seething, foaming at the mouth, fuming, raging, carried away by passion, wild, raving, frantic, mad, distracted, beside oneself, out of one's wits, ready to burst, bouleverse, demoniacal, lost, eperdu, tempest-tossed, haggard, ready to sink, stung to the quick, up, on one's high ropes, exciting, absorbing, riveting, distracting, impressive, warm, glowing, fervid, swelling, imposing, spirit-stirring, thrilling, high-wrought, soul-stirring, soul-subduing, heart-stirring, heart- swelling, heart-thrilling, agonizing, telling, sensational, hysterical, overpowering, overwhelming, more than flesh and blood can bear, yellow, piquant, spicy, appetizing, provocative, provoquant, tantalizing, eager to go, anxious to go, chafing at the bit, till one is black in the face, the heart beating high, the heart going pitapat, the heart leaping into one's mouth, the blood being up, the blood boiling in one's veins, the eye glistening, the eyes in a fine frenzy rolling, the head turned, when the going gets tough, the tough get going.For further exploring for "sensational" in Webster Dictionary Online