English Reference
adjective · noun

emotional

adj. · n.
US /ˈiˌmoʊʃənəɫ/ UK /ɪmˈəʊʃənəl/ emo·tion·al

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    adj.relating to your feelings or the way you feel inside.

    adj.pertaining to the emotions or the affective state of an individual.

    Simple

    Moving to a new country can be a difficult emotional experience.

    In context

    The therapist focused on the patient's emotional well-being rather than just addressing the physical symptoms of stress.

  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    adj.showing strong feelings, especially by crying or being very upset.

    adj.readily displaying or affected by intense emotion; often used to describe a person who is easily moved to tears.

    Simple

    He became very emotional when he talked about his late grandfather.

    In context

    The award ceremony was an emotional occasion, with several winners struggling to finish their speeches through tears of joy.

    stoicunemotionalcold
  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.based on feelings rather than on facts or clear thinking.

    adj.actuated or dominated by emotion rather than reason or logic.

    Simple

    It was an emotional decision, but she knew it wasn't the most practical one.

    In context

    The debate shifted from a technical analysis of the budget to a highly emotional argument about social values.

  4. 04 C2 Proficiency Informal

    n.a person who is very sensitive or shows their feelings a lot.

    n.a person characterized by strong or easily expressed emotions.

    Simple

    She has always been an emotional, reacting to every small change in the weather.

    In context

    The author categorises his characters into 'logicals' and 'emotionals' to highlight the friction in their decision-making processes.

    Usage

    This noun use is rare and typically found in psychological or informal contexts.

Usage emotional regulation · emotional lives · emotional arousal

This opens up the ground for conflict or bonding between them, and there is some of this, but it feels too slight: not quite emotional or dramatic enough.

The Guardian· 14 Aug 2026

Beyond being taught at school about periods and my mum explaining PMT, the impact of hormones on our emotional lives wasn’t discussed much when I was younger.

The Guardian· 12 Aug 2026

From emotion + -al.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated