emotional
Americanadjective
-
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
-
appealing to the emotions.
an emotional request for contributions.
-
showing or revealing very strong emotions.
an emotional scene in a play.
-
actuated, effected, or determined by emotion rather than reason.
An emotional decision is often a wrong decision.
-
governed by emotion.
He is in a highly emotional state of mind.
adjective
-
of, characteristic of, or expressive of emotion
-
readily or excessively affected by emotion
-
appealing to or arousing emotion
an emotional piece of music
-
caused, determined, or actuated by emotion rather than reason
an emotional argument
Other Word Forms
- emotionality noun
- 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
Etymology
Origin of emotional
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.
Parents who are anxious about money may worry they’ll pass their emotional baggage on to the next generation, but it’s possible to give kids constructive financial lessons without weighing them down.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026
The exploits of the bizarre animated characters, including "Strawberina" and a buff open-shirt "Bananito", parody reality TV tropes, from love triangles to emotional re-couplings.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
Last night's defeat drew swift and emotional reactions across Italian politics and society.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
The emotional combustion of his climactic scenes with Willy fail to reach cathartic levels.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
“An emotional basket case”—that was how President Johnson described Robert McNamara’s state of mind by late 1967.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
