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: unsentimental, inexpressive, 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

Derived Forms

• eˌmotionˈality, noun
• eˈmotionally, adverb

Other Words From

• e·motion·al·ly adverb
• hyper·e·motion·al adjective
• hyper·e·motion·al·ly adverb
• none·motion·al adjective
• none·motion·al·ly adverb
• over·e·motion·al adjective
• over·e·motion·al·ly adverb
• pree·motion·al adjective
• pree·motion·al·ly adverb
• pseudo·e·motion·al adjective
• pseudo·e·motion·al·ly adverb
• quasi-e·motion·al adjective
• quasi-e·motion·al·ly adverb
• semi·e·motion·al adjective
• semi·e·motion·al·ly adverb
• une·motion·al adjective
• une·motion·al·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of emotional¹

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

Example Sentences

Jose Antonio Vargas, 39Founder, Define AmericanAs an undocumented entrepreneur, I’m used to physical limitations that lead to mental and emotional blocks.

From Fortune

We are committed to providing high-quality care to youth with special, and often complex, emotional, behavioral and psychiatric needs.

From Fortune

Accordingly, I see on a daily basis how the quality of yesterday’s communication impacts today’s productivity, through lasting effects that can be content-driven but, realistically, are more often emotional.

From Fortune

Audio and video clips from protests can evoke an emotional and visceral reaction in those who see them.

From MIT Technology Review

Many ad sellers remain unable to have conversations with advertisers about the fourth quarter, as brands remain wary of committing to investments in a year when the economic, political and emotional outlook for the country keeps changing.

From Digiday

Deep, situational, and emotional jokes based on what is relevant and has a POINT!

From The Daily Beast

Human evolution has left men as deeply wired for emotional connections to children as women are.

From The Daily Beast

She had been, he says, the backbone of their family and losing her shifted their entire emotional landscape.

From The Daily Beast

This breach is an extraordinary emotional drag on the exhausted population.

From The Daily Beast

But it is the lasting emotional scars that have been the hardest to deal with.

From The Daily Beast

It was, of course, the suppressed emotional energy finding another outlet.

From Project Gutenberg

First, the act of prayer is emotional, and so calms the man who prays, for much of his excitement is worked off.

From Project Gutenberg

Artistic and emotional by temperament, he early threw himself heart and soul into literature.

From Project Gutenberg

I was blinded by passion; but that my emotional depths were not even stirred was manifested by the rapidity of my convalescence.

From Project Gutenberg

What have we to do with such dreamy, self-centred, emotional holiness, here and now in London?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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