emotional

[ih-moh-shuh-nl]

adjective

1. pertaining to or involving emotion or the emotions.

2. 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

3. appealing to the emotions.

   an emotional request for contributions.

4. showing or revealing very strong emotions.

   an emotional scene in a play.

5. actuated, effected, or determined by emotion rather than reason.

   An emotional decision is often a wrong decision.

6. governed by emotion.

   He is in a highly emotional state of mind.

emotional

/ ɪˈməʊʃənəl /

adjective

1. of, characteristic of, or expressive of emotion

2. readily or excessively affected by emotion

3. appealing to or arousing emotion

   an emotional piece of music

4. caused, determined, or actuated by emotion rather than reason

   an emotional argument

Other Word Forms

• emotionally adverb
• hyperemotional adjective
• hyperemotionally adverb
• nonemotional adjective
• nonemotionally adverb
• overemotional adjective
• overemotionally adverb
• preemotional adjective
• preemotionally adverb
• pseudoemotional adjective
• pseudoemotionally adverb
• quasi-emotional adjective
• quasi-emotionally adverb
• semiemotional adjective
• semiemotionally adverb
• unemotional adjective
• unemotionally adverb
• emotionality noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of emotional¹

First recorded in 1840–50; emotion + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Fay Siu, who leads the Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims, offered emotional support to families at the mortuary, where she said the atmosphere was "miserable and bleak".

Read more on Barron's

Meticulous in his habits and wedded to his routines, George loves the sterile formality of the police interview room, where, unmoved by the emotional outbursts of others, he patiently sifts fact from fabrication.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

That celebration came just a few weeks after Dreyer posted an emotional Instagram statement announcing the end of her marriage.

Read more on MarketWatch

While it has been directed with careful attention to shaping its emotional arc by Tim Jackson, “Two Strangers” might have amplified its charms with a few snips of the scissors.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“But unlike family members who must make the emotional decision to withdraw loved ones from life-sustaining treatment, I have no emotional connection to this case,” he claimed.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• affecting 
• exciting 
• heated 
• hysterical 
• impassioned 
• moving 
• nervous 
• passionate 
• poignant 
• sensitive 
• sentimental 
• spontaneous 
• touching