emotional
Americanadjective
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subject to or easily affected by emotion.
We are an emotional family, given to demonstrations of affection.
- Synonyms:
- sentimental, demonstrative, effusive, temperamental
- Antonyms:
- inexpressive, unsentimental, undemonstrative
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appealing to the emotions.
an emotional request for contributions.
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showing or revealing very strong emotions.
an emotional scene in a play.
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actuated, effected, or determined by emotion rather than reason.
An emotional decision is often a wrong decision.
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governed by emotion.
He is in a highly emotional state of mind.
adjective
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of, characteristic of, or expressive of emotion
-
readily or excessively affected by emotion
-
appealing to or arousing emotion
an emotional piece of music
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caused, determined, or actuated by emotion rather than reason
an emotional argument
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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preemotionallyadverb
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emotionallyadverb
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nonemotionaladjective
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pseudoemotionaladjective
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hyperemotionaladjective
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semiemotionaladjective
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preemotionaladjective
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pseudoemotionallyadverb
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quasi-emotionallyadverb
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nonemotionallyadverb
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unemotionaladjective
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hyperemotionallyadverb
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semiemotionallyadverb
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unemotionallyadverb
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overemotionaladjective
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emotionalitynoun
-
quasi-emotionaladjective
-
overemotionallyadverb
Etymology
Origin of emotional
Explanation
If it has anything to do with feelings like happiness or anger, then consider it emotional. A co-worker who cries at the drop of a hat is overly emotional. If someone says "Stop being so emotional!" they're telling you to calm down because your feelings are out of control. When you're emotional, you're feeling lots of feelings, or emotions: happy, sad, afraid, lonely, mad. An emotional speech makes you stand up and cheer. An emotional movie tugs on your heartstrings. The opposite of emotional is logical: logical things have more to do with your head, while emotional things are all about your heart.
Vocabulary lists containing emotional
Words to Describe a Novel or a Story
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Edge: Academic Vocabulary
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 10
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"People now care a lot about emotional value. That is, 'I want to buy something that I really love. That, when I look at it, makes me really happy.'"
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
The compensatory and emotional distress damages were split between Rebecca Grossman and Erickson.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
“We want to try to not be caught up in that emotional frenzy that will certainly take place after the IPO,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
"I was emotional," he says of that extraordinary night at Hampden.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
I’d like to say that I’m flashing through moments of my life in an elegant yet emotional way.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
