emotional

play

adjective emo·tion·al \ i-ˈmō-shnəl , -shə-nᵊl \

Definition 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

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emotionality

play \i-ˌmō-shə-ˈna-lə-tē\ noun

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emotionally

play \i-ˈmō-shnə-lē, -shə-nᵊl-ē\ adverb

See emotional defined for English-language learners

See emotional defined for kids

Examples of emotional in a Sentence

He's a very emotional person.
worship at revival meetings often takes a markedly emotional form

Recent Examples of emotional from the Web

Dara Khosrowshahi addressed employees for first time Wednesday Kalanick praises his successor in emotional transfer of power One of Dara Khosrowshahi’s first tasks at Uber Technologies Inc. will be coming up with a new set of core principles.

— eric newcomer, Bloomberg.com, "New Uber CEO Hints at 2019 IPO as He Takes Over Troubled Startup," 30 Aug. 2017
One of the more emotional moments in the first issue comes just after the monk mating ceremony in which both conception takes place and the female monk has her wings forcibly removed.

— will nevin, OregonLive.com, "TBT #6: 'Angelic' astounds in color and complexity, while 'Gasolina' hints at darkness," 28 Aug. 2017
The most common kinds of elder abuse are emotional and financial, Rosen said, and usually when one form of abuse exists, so do others.

— barbara sadick, Kaiser Health News, "Elder Abuse: ERs Learn How To Protect A Vulnerable Population," 28 Aug. 2017
Some studies also have shown that students may learn better from books than from computer screens, while another found that keeping children away from computers for five days in a row improved their emotional intelligence.

— maria danilova, The Seattle Times, "Can computers enhance the work of teachers? The debate is on," 27 Aug. 2017
The psychological and emotional effects of an earthquake are especially harrowing.

— simon worrall, National Geographic, "Earthquakes Can Happen in More Places Than You Think," 26 Aug. 2017
Acknowledge and respond to the impact of trauma as a physical and emotional reality on the lives of our young people and their families as a direct result of violence. 4.

— carole carlson, Post-Tribune, "Seeking divine intervention in Gary's violent streets," 26 Aug. 2017
The complaint notes the plaintiffs, which include Mannella’s parents, are suing for damages in excess of $75,000 to cover out-of-pocket expenses for tutors, a tuition refund and compensation for emotional pain and suffering.

— jeanine santucci, USA TODAY College, "This blind student Paralympic skiier is suing Dartmouth over accessibility," 23 Aug. 2017
Today Miry’s List provides more than 100 new-arrival families across Southern California with everything from supplies and housing to emotional support and job creation.

— julia herbst, Los Angeles Magazine, "11 Women Who Are Making L.A. a Better Place," 17 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'emotional.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.