emotive

adjective

emo·​tive i-ˈmō-tiv How to pronounce emotive (audio)
1
: of or relating to the emotions
2
: appealing to or expressing emotion
the emotive use of language
3
chiefly British : causing strong emotions often in support of or against something
… the latest proposal aimed at breaking a long-running deadlock over the emotive issue of whaling …Tom Pfeiffer
emotively adverb
emotivity noun

Examples of emotive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The album — which the artist describes as a love letter to his native Colombia — includes 10 tracks that blend various tropical rhythms, including vallenato and cumbia, as well as tropical fusions, promising to take listeners on a journey filled with infectious beats and emotive lyrics. Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 19 Apr. 2024 Though larded with audacious jokes and sight gags, the play had a strong emotive core. Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024 Artists like Sam Barber, Mae Estes, Dylan Gossett and Wyatt Flores are creating music that is emotional and emotive, and speaks to real-life experiences that fans want to hear and devour right now. Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2024 The truth that standing behind Israel’s war means standing on the broken bodies of Palestinians threatens a hugely emotive fantasy. Hazlitt, 6 Mar. 2024 The Baltimore singer, who shared her emotional connection to McEntire in her blind audition, grounded the song with her emotive tone and heartfelt charisma. USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024 The song is dedicated to the memory of Residente’s deceased friend and Cruz’s voice rings through as a recurring narrator, touching on emotive themes of life and time. Thania Garcia, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024 The lengthy flight duration, emotive movie plotlines, and a certain amount of anonymity is a sure-fire way to open the floodgates. Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Mar. 2024 The 22-year-old’s warm tone and emotive belting earned her a swift four-chair turn from the coaches. USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'emotive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of emotive was in 1830

Dictionary Entries Near emotive

Cite this Entry

“Emotive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emotive. Accessed 4 May. 2024.

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