emotional

adjective

emo·​tion·​al i-ˈmō-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce emotional (audio)
Synonyms of emotional
1
: of or relating to emotion
an emotional disorder
2
: dominated by or prone to emotion
an emotional person
3
: appealing to or arousing emotion
an emotional sermon
4
: markedly aroused or agitated in feeling or sensibilities
gets emotional at weddings
emotionally
i-ˈmō-sh(ə-)nə-lē How to pronounce emotional (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of emotional

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Examples of emotional in a Sentence

He's a very emotional person. worship at revival meetings often takes a markedly emotional form
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
More damaging, employees gradually learn that raising concerns means navigating the leader's emotional reaction before addressing the actual issue. — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026 Ripa became emotional while announcing Chewie's death on the show, reflecting on the dog's longtime place in their family. — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026 But on her path, Jean causes bodily and emotional harm to both Peter and numerous innocent bystanders by inhabiting their bodies and forcing them to do her bidding. — Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026 At least some of the original cast members must be involved, and their conspicuously aged appearance will inevitably be poignant — an optional but generally baked-in emotional component. — Vadim Rizov, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for emotional

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of emotional was in 1834

Phrases Containing emotional

Rhymes for emotional

See All Rhymes for emotional

Browse Nearby Words

emotionable
emotional
emotional blackmail
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Cite this Entry

“Emotional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emotional. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

emotional

adjective
emo·​tion·​al i-ˈmō-shnəl How to pronounce emotional (audio)
-shən-ᵊl
1
: of or relating to the emotions
an emotional upset
2
: likely to show or express emotion : easily moved
an emotional person
3
: causing one to feel emotion
an emotional speech
emotionally
-ē How to pronounce emotional (audio)
adverb

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