Sentimental value
Sentimental value is the emotional worth a person assigns to an object, place, or experience because of personal memories or relationships rather than market price.
Sentimental value is the emotional worth a person assigns to an object, place, or experience based on personal memories or relationships, not its market price. It's a common concept in Canadian English, especially when talking about family keepsakes and heirlooms.
What it is
Sentimental value refers to the importance something holds because of emotional associations—often happy memories or connections to people and life events. Dictionaries define it as value arising from sentimental associations, distinct from monetary or market value.
Why it matters
This concept highlights how personal worth can far exceed financial worth. An item with little resale value—like a childhood toy or a gift from a loved one—can be priceless to its owner. Psychologists and philosophers treat it as a subjective form of value shaped by memory, attachment, and relationships.
Key details
Common examples include family heirlooms, photographs, gifts, souvenirs, and mementos from significant events. Sentimental value is subjective: the same object may matter greatly to one person and little to another. It's widely used in everyday Canadian English when discussing personal belongings with emotional significance.
In short
- Based on personal memories, not market price.
- Common in heirlooms, photos, gifts, and souvenirs.
- Subjective—varies from person to person.
- Distinct from monetary value.
The concept is widely used in Canadian everyday English, especially when discussing family keepsakes, heirlooms, and personal belongings with emotional significance.
Quick questions
What does sentimental value mean?
Is sentimental value the same as market value?
Can something be valuable sentimentally but not financially?
Sources
- Merriam-Webster — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sentimental%20valueSupports: Definition as importance because of a connection with a happy time of life, a special person, etc.
- Collins English Dictionary — https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/sentimental-valueSupports: Definition as the value of an article in terms of sentimental associations for a particular person.
- Wiktionary — https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sentimental_valueSupports: Notes usage as usually uncountable and defines it as personal value derived from personal memories.
- Blog of the APA — https://blog.apaonline.org/2025/04/15/on-sentimental-value/Supports: Explains sentimental value as distinct from monetary, instrumental, and aesthetic value and emphasizes its subjective, relational nature.
- Oreate AI — https://www.oreateai.com/blog/beyond-the-price-tag-unpacking-the-meaning-of-sentimental-value/9522c30cebefdc44d36331de7acf62dcSupports: Describes sentimental value as feelings and memories rather than finances and gives common examples of meaningful objects.