emphatic

[em-fat-ik]

adjective

1. uttered, or to be uttered, with emphasis; strongly expressive.

2. using emphasis in speech or action.

3. forceful; insistent.

   a big, emphatic man; I must be emphatic about this particular.

   Synonyms: definite, unequivocal, decided, pronounced, forcible, energetic, positive
   Antonyms: weak

4. very impressive or significant; strongly marked; striking.

   the emphatic beauty of sunset.

5. clearly or boldly outlined.

   It stands, like a great, stone dagger, emphatic against the sky.

6. Grammar.,  of or relating to a form used to add emphasis, especially, in English, stressed auxiliary do in affirmative statements, as in He did call you or I do like it.

7. Phonetics.,  having a secondary velar articulation, as certain dental consonants in Arabic.

noun

1. an emphatic consonant.

emphatic

/ ɪmˈfætɪk /

adjective

1. expressed, spoken, or done with emphasis

2. forceful and positive; definite; direct

   an emphatic personality

3. sharp or clear in form, contour, or outline

4. important or significant; stressed

   the emphatic points in an argument

5. phonetics denoting certain dental consonants of Arabic that are pronounced with accompanying pharyngeal constriction

noun

1. phonetics an emphatic consonant, as used in Arabic

Other Word Forms

• emphatically adverb
• emphaticalness noun
• unemphatic adjective
• unemphatically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of emphatic¹

1700–10; < Greek emphatikós indicative, forceful, equivalent to *emphat ( ós ) ( em- em- ² + phatós, variant of phantós visible, equivalent to phan-, stem of phaínesthai to appear + -tos adj. suffix) + -ikos -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of emphatic¹

C18: from Greek emphatikos expressive, forceful, from emphainein to exhibit, display, from phainein to show

Example Sentences

The emphatic victory in Riyadh left Ronaldo's side four points clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League after nine matches.

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Lavelle swept in an emphatic finish 10 minutes from time to settle a scrappy championship game at PayPal Park in San Jose.

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Joshua, meanwhile, who towered above Paul during Friday's event, warned he is ready to deliver an emphatic victory.

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The rookie Thiero also made his debut against the Bucks, scoring four points and punctuating his first NBA appearance with an emphatic two-handed dunk in the final minute.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But as he dropped Eubank for the second time on the way to an emphatic, calculated win, Benn proved his doubters wrong.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• assertive 
• categorical 
• confident 
• definite 
• definitive 
• energetic 
• explicit 
• forceful 
• impressive 
• pronounced 
• resounding 
• sober 
• sure 
• telling 
• unmistakable 
• vigorous