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

I think that’s always the leading metric for us — the emotional connection.

From Los Angeles Times

A good moment in an emotional sense?

From Los Angeles Times

“We really tried to ground it in the emotional perspective of the characters at every moment,” Zetumer said.

From Los Angeles Times

“I can’t describe the emotional release,” he says smiling.

From BBC

"It's very emotional. I felt this huge respect for something that's stayed in one place and survived for hundreds of years," he said.

From BBC

Related Words

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