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emotionalize

American  
[ih-moh-shuh-nl-ahyz] / ɪˈmoʊ ʃə nlˌaɪz /
especially British, emotionalise

verb (used with object)

emotionalized, emotionalizing
  1. to make emotional; treat as a matter of emotion.


emotionalize British  
/ ɪˈməʊʃənəˌlaɪz /

verb

  1. (tr) to make emotional; subject to emotional treatment

"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

  • de-emotionalize verb (used with object)
  • emotionalization noun
  • overemotionalize verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of emotionalize

First recorded in 1875–80; emotional + -ize

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.

The casting of deaf and hearing actors — one to embody and emotionalize a character, the other to sing, speak and jam — fails to harmonize into a resonant or even intelligible interpretation.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 11, 2024

But we anthropomorphize, assuming they emotionalize identically to us, and that’s the mistake.

From National Geographic • Nov. 25, 2017

You've tried to emotionalize what should not be an emotional issue.

From Time Magazine Archive

It is a good idea of Santayana that "the function of poetry is to emotionalize philosophy."

From The Last Harvest by Burroughs, John

She can feel as well as think and so can emotionalize the printed page.

From The Vitalized School by Pearson, Francis B.