emotive

adjective emo·tive \ i-ˈmō-tiv \

|Updated on: 24 Jun 2018

Definition of emotive

1 : of or relating to the emotions

2 : appealing to or expressing emotion

the emotive use of language

3 chiefly British : causing strong emotions often in support of or against something

… the latest proposal aimed at breaking a long-running deadlock over the emotive issue of whaling …
—Tom Pfeiffer

—

emotively

adverb

—

emotivity

play \i-ˌmō-ˈti-və-tē, ˌē-ˌmō-\ noun

See emotive defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of emotive from the Web

On set, 19-year-old artist Chella Man felt right at home in the second floor bathroom painted by Keith Haring; both Haring and Chella use a fluid, often abstract yet heavily emotive, freehand style to express themselves.

— sean bennett, Teen Vogue, "How the Artists and Activists from Marc Jacobs' Pride 2018 Campaign Use Fashion to Show Express Identity," 21 June 2018
Rihanna's extremely personal and emotive Instagram Story proved just how inappropriate the ad was, and how insensitive its subject matter was to anyone affected by domestic violence.

— amy mackelden, Marie Claire, "Rihanna's Response to Chris Brown Ad Causes Snapchat's Stock to Plummet," 16 Mar. 2018
The choreographer preferred that his dancers perform without undue force or emotive emphases.

— robert greskovic, WSJ, "A Celebration of Jerome Robbins," 8 May 2018
Her sound is emotive, melismatic, acrobatic, and her visuals are similarly bombastic — a lot of hair, plenty of ass and sweat, and more than a few wardrobe changes.

— danielle jackson, Longreads, "Why Beyoncé Placed HBCU’s at the Center of American Life," 7 May 2018
She's become a superstar thanks to a string of emotive ballads that showcase her rich, powerful voice.

— joey guerra, Houston Chronicle, "Mexican superstar Yuridia sets Houston date," 12 Apr. 2018
The slam dunks, three pointers and emotive moments are essentials elements to the narrative of the game.

— rj mickelson, San Francisco Chronicle, "The Warriors: Beyond the Game," 30 Apr. 2018
The emotive case recalls the short life of another British child, Charlie Gard, who died of a rare genetic disease in July 2017 after a vicious court battle in which his parents sought treatment first in the U.S. and then Italy.

— kathleen joyce, Fox News, "Alfie Evans' parents to appeal ruling that barred terminally ill British boy from traveling to Rome," 25 Apr. 2018
Messages that use emotive language to emphasize the potential for individual benefit without mentioning risks or quantifying the prospect of benefit or harm skew expectations and complicate this task.

— jonathan kimmelman, STAT, "Cancer centers sell out science when they advertise clinical trials as treatment," 25 Apr. 2018

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

First Known Use of emotive

1830

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

EMOTIVE Defined for English Language Learners

emotive

adjective

Definition of emotive for English Language Learners

: of or relating to emotions
: causing strong emotions for or against something

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up emotive? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

emotive

Definition of emotive

emotively

emotivity

Recent Examples of emotive from the Web

First Known Use of emotive

EMOTIVE Defined for English Language Learners

emotive

Definition of emotive for English Language Learners

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

amortize

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

What It Means to Go ‘Radio Silent’

The Last Word on 'Finalize'

'Creep': A Skin-Crawling History

Centuries and How to Refer to Them

Ask the Editors

Ghost Word

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

Literally

Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

Word Games

Words for Summer: A Quiz

Name More Food!

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Add Diction

What It Means to Go ‘Radio Silent’

Words for Summer: A Quiz

If the Shoe Fits

Trending: 'Asylum' Trends as Policies Draw Attention

Ghost Word

emotive

Definition of emotive

emotively

emotivity

Recent Examples of emotive from the Web

First Known Use of emotive

EMOTIVE Defined for English Language Learners

emotive

Definition of emotive for English Language Learners

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

What It Means to Go ‘Radio Silent’

Words for Summer: A Quiz

If the Shoe Fits

Trending: 'Asylum' Trends as Policies Draw Attention

Ghost Word