sentimentalise

Sentimentalise is the British spelling of sentimentalize.

To sentimentalise something is to treat it with excessive emotion or nostalgia, often in a way that distorts reality or ignores harder truths.

People sentimentalise the past, childhood, or relationships by remembering only the pleasant parts.

The film sentimentalises rural life, ignoring the poverty and hardship.

The word often carries a note of criticism, suggesting that the sentiment is shallow or self-indulgent rather than genuinely felt.