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

• 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

Companies with genuinely supportive cultures describe their environment in specific terms, highlighting concrete benefits, career development opportunities and clear advancement paths rather than relying on emotional language. —Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025

Growing visibly emotional, Bartsch took in the audience and smiled through her tears. —Nigel Smith, People.com, 23 June 2025

Studies show that parental conflict—especially around key decisions—can increase a child's anxiety, reduce their sense of emotional security, and diminish the effectiveness of therapy. —Sherri Gordon, Parents, 23 June 2025

If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. —Audrey Noble, Vogue, 23 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing emotional

• emotional blackmail
• emotional intelligence
• emotional quotient
• 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