emotive

adjective

emo·​tive i-ˈmō-tiv How to pronounce emotive (audio)
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 noun

Examples of emotive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The show's creator and co-showrunner Charlie Brooker told Morning Edition that some episodes are a bit of a gut punch while others are emotive and reflective. Brittney Melton, NPR, 11 Apr. 2025 Earlier, Lamm had walked me through the construction site, noting that the entrance would feature a ten-foot acrylic model of a woolly mammoth locked in simulated ice and shrouded in an emotive haze produced by a dry-ice machine. D. T. Max, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025 These types of videos foster real connections through emotive storytelling, vulnerability, compassion and empathy. Nicholas Mattingly, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025 She is also certified in cognitive behavior therapy and rational emotive behavioral therapy. Israa Nasir, Harvard Business Review, 6 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for emotive

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of emotive was in 1830

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Cite this Entry

“Emotive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emotive. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

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