emotional

adjective

emo·​tion·​al i-ˈmō-sh(ə-)nəl 

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 

adverb

Synonyms of emotional

• passionate
• passional
• warm
• intense
• religious
• fervent
• demonstrative

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

Concerned that the programs’ growing sophistication could induce emotional dependency and addiction, China last week banned minors from using AI companions and imposed additional requirements on platforms to prevent misuse. — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 23 July 2026

When Putellas announced her departure, Serrajordi was one of the most emotional players at the farewell ceremony, despite having played alongside her for just one season. — Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Sharon Osbourne got emotional on the first anniversary of her husband Ozzy Osbourne’s death — and shared how the late rocker would want to be remembered. — Shelby Stivale, Entertainment Weekly, 22 July 2026

Across two films, the duo formed one of the emotional cores of the franchise, with Jia’s unique bond with Kong becoming a fan-favorite storyline. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing emotional

• emotional blackmail
• emotional intelligence
• emotional quotient
• emotional support animal
• hyper-emotional

Rhymes for emotional

• devotional
• promotional
• motional
• notional
• unemotional

Kids Definition

emotional

adjective

emo·​tion·​al i-ˈmō-shnəl 

-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 

adverb