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
Tom Pfeiffer
emotively
adverb
Examples of emotive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The camera lingers for a few seconds on Miguel, in his new emotive state for the rest of his life, without Marta.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 24 Oct. 2025
All smoke and sweat, full of gospel phrasing and hip-hop undertones, Brown Sugar introduced D’Angelo as an emotive, smooth-talking vocalist, a thinking, feeling performer in the likeness of Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, and Curtis Mayfield without borrowing too heavily from any of them.
—Marcus J. Moore, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2025
Other Auburn fans chose more emotive ways of showing their displeasure as the SEC officiating crew left the field through a corner tunnel at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday night.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
With her signature vocal runs, emotive storytelling, and groundbreaking career milestones, Brandy remains a lasting force in the entertainment industry, bridging generations through her artistry and authenticity.
—Mecca Pryor, Essence, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for emotive
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
John Hopewell, Variety, 24 Oct. 2025
All smoke and sweat, full of gospel phrasing and hip-hop undertones, Brown Sugar introduced D’Angelo as an emotive, smooth-talking vocalist, a thinking, feeling performer in the likeness of Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, and Curtis Mayfield without borrowing too heavily from any of them.
—Marcus J. Moore, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2025
Other Auburn fans chose more emotive ways of showing their displeasure as the SEC officiating crew left the field through a corner tunnel at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday night.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
With her signature vocal runs, emotive storytelling, and groundbreaking career milestones, Brandy remains a lasting force in the entertainment industry, bridging generations through her artistry and authenticity.
—Mecca Pryor, Essence, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for emotive
Cite this Entry
“Emotive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emotive. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share