soulful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of soulful
Explanation
The adjective soulful is used to describe things that express strong emotion, especially a kind of sadness or tenderness. You might enjoy soulful poetry — or you might just find it corny. If you meet a sad-looking dog with big, soulful eyes at your local animal shelter, you'll have a hard time not taking him home with you. Those soulful eyes might seem to be saying, "You are the companion I've been waiting for all my life." (Although they might actually be saying, "Mmm, you smell like bacon.") This adjective is also good for describing music that moves you deeply.
Vocabulary lists containing soulful
"Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou
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Road Home
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Betty Before X
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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.
Other song titles on the album seem to touch on religious themes including Devotion, Soulful and Forgiveness, in keeping with Bieber's Christian faith.
From BBC • Jul. 11, 2025
Soulful Sundays beckons spoken-word poets, rappers, singers and more to flex their talents for a crowd.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2022
In late March, chef Tarik Abdullah stood in his friend's kitchen at Soulful Dishes and watched the donated food pour in.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 14, 2021
Before his illness, Barnes and his band Slim and the Soulful Saints were regular performers at B.B.
From Washington Times • Sep. 19, 2020
We projected, to pass the time, a "Soulful Song-Cycle," which was frankly to be an attempt at pulling the public's leg.
From The Days Before Yesterday by Hamilton, Frederick Spencer, Lord
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.
