soulful

[sohl-fuhl]

adjective

1. of or expressive of deep feeling or emotion.

   soulful eyes.

soulful

/ ˈsəʊlfʊl /

adjective

1. ironic,  expressing profound thoughts or feelings

   soulful music

Other Word Forms

• soulfully adverb
• soulfulness noun
• unsoulful adjective
• unsoulfully adverb
• unsoulfulness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of soulful¹

First recorded in 1860–65; soul + -ful

Example Sentences

The filmmaker was drawn to one trait in particular: “The eyes of Jacob were incredibly soulful and incredibly profound, and he had a purity and a certain innocence,” Del Toro says.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And in the chain of events her departure causes, Anderson dives headfirst into the film’s more intimate elements, presenting a soulful and darkly humorous counterpart to the film’s cold, violent first act.

Read more on Salon

Her debut album, Skin, was released in 2021, earning a Mercury Prize nomination for its soulful, perceptive ballads.

Read more on BBC

“Brokeback Mountain” comparisons are inevitable, but will only serve to keep this tender but overly cautious tale in the shadow of that soulful gut-wrencher.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Reid, born in Cambridgeshire, England, had a uniquely resonant and soulful voice with an enormous range that earned him the nickname “Superlungs.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• expressive 
• impassioned 
• passionate 
• stirring 
• touching