SINCE 1828
emo
noun
\ ˈē-(ˌ)mō
\
\
Definition of emo
: a style of rock music influenced by punk rock and featuring introspective and emotionally fraught lyrics
In emo, the heart forever hurts, and the ultra-introspective songwriter pines for beautiful death.— Robert Sullivan
Keep scrolling for more
Examples of emo in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Between rousing Scranton, Pa., punk veterans the Menzingers (2 p.m.), reunited local ’90s alternative heroes Belly (3:45 p.m.), and anthemic emo group Manchester Orchestra (4:40 p.m.), there’s no shortage of great rock bands on the afternoon lineup. — Terence Cawley, BostonGlobe.com, "Too many choices at Boston Calling? Here’s some help.," 23 May 2018 Cosplayers have found a home on the app, along with new wave emo kids and the anime obsessed. — Julia Alexander, The Verge, "In defense of TikTok, the joyful, slightly cringe-inducing spiritual successor to Vine," 5 Nov. 2018 The thing that would help more than emo-tweeting poetry, probably, is a strong number two. — Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, "This Week in Elon," 24 Aug. 2018 Read more: Celebrate Black History Month 2018 in Cleveland: Film, theatre, concerts, panels and more events What better way to get out all your feelings than shouting along to your favorite emo, indie and punk songs on the dance floor? — cleveland.com, "36 things to do in Cleveland the weekend of Feb. 8-11," 8 Feb. 2018 The group’s cheeky blends of cathartic, uplifting emo and propulsive pop-punk come through in short, sizzling bursts—like drops of milk dribbled into a bowl of Rice Krispies. — Leor Galil, Chicago Reader, "Chicago trio Retirement Party blend emo and pop-punk to score their early adulthood," 7 June 2018 Melding traditional folk with emo and early indie influences creates a fantastical ambience. — Efrain Dorado, RedEye Chicago, "5 must-see concerts in Chicago this week: Angel Olsen, The Districts, Signal-to-Noise," 5 Dec. 2017 Though he was billed primarily as a rapper, XXXTentacion also dabbled in genres like punk and emo, favoring a lo-fi aesthetic that came from recording at home instead of in professional studios. — New York Times, "XXXTentacion Signed $10 Million Album Deal Before His Death," 8 July 2018 The Strawberry Girls periodically pairs up with different guest vocalists on its records, which creates an interesting patchwork effect with different singers altering the vibe, taking things in an emo, hip-hop or pop direction. — John Adamian, courant.com, "Britney Spears, Tory Lanez, Kimya Dawson: Seven Concert Highlights," 7 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'emo.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on emo
What made you want to look up emo? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
What did you just call me?! A Quiz
-
- If a member of the audience describes your speech as bombastic, does that person mean it is:
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Share emo
Resources for emo