Sensational means causing great excitement — or exaggerated in order to. The word praises and criticises with the same syllables.
The praising sense is enthusiastic, so a sensational performance or sensational news means genuinely thrilling. The critical sense belongs to journalism, and sensational reporting means whipping up a story beyond what the facts support, with the noun sensationalism naming the practice. Which one you are reading depends entirely on whether the writer approves. The noun sensation covers both a feeling and a stir.
1adjectivesensationalCausing great excitement or admiration.
“It was a sensational finish to the season.”
2adjectivepresentedPresented in a way designed to excite rather than inform.
“The coverage was sensational and short on facts.”
Latin
sensus
English
sensation
English, today
sensational
From sensation + -al. sensation comes from Old French -, from Medieval Latin - sensatio, from Latin sensus.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA