emotional intelligence

noun

: the ability to recognize, understand, and deal skillfully with one's own emotions and the emotions of others (as by regulating one's emotions or by showing empathy and good judgment in social interactions)

A large part of emotional intelligence is being able to think about and empathize with how other people are feeling. This often involves considering how you would respond if you were in the same situation.

—Kendra Cherry

We know that young children learn to identify, explain, and regulate their emotions, but we know much less about how children learn these things. They undoubtedly acquire some of their emotional intelligence from adults–—parents, teachers, and coaches, for example.

—Lawrence T. White

… thousands of workers during the "Great Resignation" discovered a new road map to success: being able to recognize and walk away from abusive situations. … Empathy, respectfulness and emotional intelligence are hallmarks of leaders for whom people enjoy working.

—Karla L. Miller

—abbreviation EI

called also emotional quotient

Examples of emotional intelligence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Although the novel’s center does not quite hold, O’Farrell’s emotional intelligence — the heart and heat of her characters — braces this sometimes unwieldy chronicle of a nation that has been subject to cumbrous historic agonies. —Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 2026

However, fine-tuning emotional intelligence for leaders is well worth the payoff. —Bykaren R. McDaniel, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

A lot of emotional intelligence is involved here. —Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026

The ability to notice emotional shifts in others is a key part of developing empathy, one of the highest forms of emotional intelligence. —Reem Raouda, CNBC, 31 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for emotional intelligence

• counterintelligence