Definition of "sensationalism" [sen•sa•tion•al•ism]

• The use of sensational matter or methods, especially in writing, journalism, or politics. (noun)
• Sensational subject matter. (noun)
• Interest in or the effect of such subject matter. (noun)
• Philosophy The theory that sensation is the only source of knowledge. (noun)
• The ethical doctrine that feeling is the only criterion of good. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The Saudi justice ministry says the system has ensured a right to object to the ruling without resorting to what it describes as sensationalism through the media."
• ""I'm trying to keep the content of this report out of the hearing because we are going down what I call the sensationalism road," Perry said."
• "I am sorry, Mr. Goldsmith, Civil War was a gratuitous exercise in sensationalism, trying to take silly ideas like Superhero Blockbuster (it is formatted very much like a Bay movie), applying a demagoguery hamfisted, hollywood-liberal demagoguery to it."