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Showing results for emotionalism. Search instead for emotionalised.
Synonyms

emotionalism

American  
[ih-moh-shuh-nl-iz-uhm] / ɪˈmoʊ ʃə nlˈɪz əm /

noun

  1. excessively emotional character.

    the emotionalism of sentimental fiction.

  2. strong or excessive appeal to the emotions.

    the emotionalism of patriotic propaganda.

  3. a tendency to display or respond with undue emotion, especially morbid emotion.

  4. unwarranted expression or display of emotion.


emotionalism British  
/ ɪˈməʊʃənəˌlɪzəm /

noun

  1. emotional nature, character, or quality

  2. a tendency to yield readily to the emotions

  3. an appeal to the emotions, esp an excessive appeal, as to an audience

  4. a doctrine stressing the value of deeply felt responses in ethics and the arts

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of emotionalism

First recorded in 1860–65; emotional + -ism

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.

See Examples For:

Then, after a short silence, the music resumed, but now with the addition of Mr. Muhly on prepared piano, lending ineffable poignancy to strains of unsentimental emotionalism.

From The Wall Street Journal Oct. 27, 2025

There, his long-standing influences, from Nina Simone and Edith Piaf to Led Zeppelin and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, coalesced into a post-grunge emotionalism anchored by those unbelievable pipes.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 8, 2025

For that reason, I wouldn’t be shocked to see the rootsy 27-year-old singer-songwriter Noah Kahan accept the award, even if his yelpy emotionalism isn’t exactly my thing.

From New York Times Feb. 2, 2024

It is based not just on extreme authority and emotionalism, but a cultivation and worship of the Irrational.

From Salon Apr. 20, 2023

However few people can successfully demonstrate a principle in common ethics when their deliberation is festered with emotionalism.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote

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