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REFERENCE

emotional

adj. · n.
US //ˈiˌmoʊʃənəɫ// UK //ɪmˈəʊʃənəl// emo·tion·al
  1. 1 relating to feelings (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    relating to your feelings or the way you feel inside.

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

    Example

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

    Example

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

  2. 2 showing strong feelings (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

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

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  1. 3 not logical (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    based on feelings rather than on facts or clear thinking.

    actuated or dominated by emotion rather than reason or logic.

    Example

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

    Example

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

  2. 4 an emotional person (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Informal

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

    a person characterized by strong or easily expressed emotions.

    Example

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

    Example

    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.

Origin

From emotion + -al.

Word family
Idioms2 entries

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