EMOTIONAL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does emotional mean? 

• EMOTIONAL (adjective)
  The adjective EMOTIONAL has 4 senses:

1. determined or actuated by emotion rather than reason

2. of more than usual emotion

3. of or pertaining to emotion

4. (of persons) excessively affected by emotion

  Familiarity information: EMOTIONAL used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EMOTIONAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Determined or actuated by emotion rather than reason

Context example:

it was an emotional judgment

Antonym:

cerebral (involving intelligence rather than emotions or instinct)

Derivation:

emotion (any strong feeling)

emotionality (emotional nature or quality)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Of more than usual emotion

Context example:

his behavior was highly emotional

Similar:

hot-blooded (prone to emotion)

warm-toned (used of music)

soulful (full of or expressing deep emotion)

overemotional; sloppy (excessively or abnormally emotional)

moody; temperamental (subject to sharply varying moods)

mind-blowing (intensely affecting the mind or emotions)

lyric; lyrical (expressing deep emotion)

little (small in a way that arouses feelings (of tenderness or its opposite depending on the context))

het up (worked up emotionally by anger or excitement)

funky; low-down ((of jazz) having the soulful feeling of early blues)

charged; supercharged (fraught with great emotion)

cathartic; releasing (emotionally purging (of e.g. art))

bathetic; drippy; hokey; kitschy; maudlin; mawkish; mushy; sappy; schmaltzy; schmalzy; sentimental; slushy; soppy; soupy (effusively or insincerely emotional)

affectional; affective; emotive (characterized by emotion)

Also:

warm (psychologically warm; friendly and responsive)

passionate (having or expressing strong emotions)

moving (arousing or capable of arousing deep emotion)

affected; moved; stirred; touched (being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion)

Attribute:

emotionalism; emotionality (emotional nature or quality)

Antonym:

unemotional (unsusceptible to or destitute of or showing no emotion)

Derivation:

emotionality (emotional nature or quality)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Of or pertaining to emotion

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

an emotional crisis

Pertainym:

emotion (any strong feeling)

Derivation:

emotion (any strong feeling)

emotionality (emotional nature or quality)

Sense 4

Meaning:

(of persons) excessively affected by emotion

Synonyms:

aroused; emotional; excited; worked up

Context example:

she was worked up about all the noise

Similar:

agitated (troubled emotionally and usually deeply)

Derivation:

emotionality (emotional nature or quality)

 Context examples 

It is used to treat mental, emotional, personality, and behavioral disorders.

(CBT, NCI Dictionary)

A measure of the incidence of cancer within the population and an estimate of the financial, emotional, or social impact it creates.

(Cancer Burden, NCI Thesaurus)

An endogenous opioid-like substance found in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland that produces a sense of well-being, euphoria, and can reduce physical and emotional pain.

(Beta Endorphin, NCI Thesaurus)

Child development includes physical, intellectual, social, and emotional changes.

(Child Development, NIH)

A healthcare professional who is trained in the emotional and developmental needs of children.

(Child-life specialist, NCI Dictionary)

The act of receiving professional guidance in resolving personal conflicts and emotional problems.

(Counseling, NCI Thesaurus)

The child-life worker helps children and their families understand medical issues and gives psychological and emotional support.

(Child-life worker, NCI Dictionary)

You may experience grief as a mental, physical, social or emotional reaction.

(Bereavement, NIH: National Cancer Institute)

Generally speaking, the autonomic nervous system regulates the internal environment during both peaceful activity and physical or emotional stress.

(Autonomic nervous system, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Indeed, when there is limited emotional identification with other people, communication becomes inhibited and, ultimately, this may lead to negative—even tragic—results.

(White people’s perceptions of the emotions on black people’s faces are less accurate than their perceptions among other white people, University of Granada)