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

Decision-making frameworks came to prioritize quantifiable data, pushing emotional intelligence to the margins. —Nancy Zamierowski, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025

Just as Howe often identifies the right moments to encourage his charges to ramp up their passion, his assistant displayed similar emotional intelligence. —Chris Waugh, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025

Tkachuk is the type of player with a unique blend of speed, physicality, emotional intelligence and leadership that can drive a team on a deep playoff run. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025

Organizations need team members who can leverage AI tools while maintaining the emotional intelligence to work effectively with colleagues and clients. —Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 22 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for emotional intelligence

• counterintelligence