effusive
Americanadjective
-
unduly demonstrative; lacking reserve.
effusive greetings; an effusive person.
-
pouring out; overflowing.
-
Geology. extrusive.
adjective
-
extravagantly demonstrative of emotion; gushing
-
(of rock) formed by the solidification of magma
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of effusive
Explanation
Getting a compliment from your effusive Aunt Sally can be a little embarrassing. Since she's so effusive, Aunt Sally holds nothing back, gushing with enthusiasm. The adjective effusive means "extravagantly demonstrative," and if you know someone who expresses positive emotions in a heartfelt, bubbly way, you understand just what the word means. The word effusive has a surprisingly similar definition in geology; it describes a particular kind of volcanic eruption, one in which lava bubbles up out of the volcano and flows around it.
Vocabulary lists containing effusive
ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 8
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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.
It then rises more slowly, giving volcanic gases additional time to escape and making a gentler, effusive eruption more likely.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026
I don’t think it’s entirely unfair to say that a large portion of the effusive response to “Obsession” has been from younger viewers getting their first taste of topical horror gore shocks.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
Near him was an effusive couple calling a family in California: “We won!” they screamed in English.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026
To Dombrowski’s surprise, Don “really wasn’t effusive in his praise,” not wanting to use his famous last name to influence the Phillies’ decision.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026
General Peckem welcomed Colonel Scheisskopf with effusive charm and said he was delighted to have him.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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.
