emotion

noun

i-ˈmō-shən How to pronounce emotion (audio)
Definition of emotionnext
1
as in feeling
a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation my emotions after hearing the shocking news went from utter disbelief to overwhelming sorrow

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intensity
depth of feeling the emotion that the singer is able to instill in "Amazing Grace" is truly stirring

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word emotion distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of emotion are affection, feeling, passion, and sentiment. While all these words mean "a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation," emotion carries a strong implication of excitement or agitation but, like feeling, encompasses both positive and negative responses.

the drama portrays the emotions of adolescence

When might affection be a better fit than emotion?

While in some cases nearly identical to emotion, affection applies to feelings that are also inclinations or likings.

a memoir of childhood filled with affection for her family

Where would feeling be a reasonable alternative to emotion?

The meanings of feeling and emotion largely overlap; however, feeling denotes any partly mental, partly physical response marked by pleasure, pain, attraction, or repulsion; it may suggest the mere existence of a response but imply nothing about the nature or intensity of it.

the feelings that once moved me are gone

When is it sensible to use passion instead of emotion?

While the synonyms passion and emotion are close in meaning, passion suggests a very powerful or controlling emotion.

revenge became his ruling passion

When is sentiment a more appropriate choice than emotion?

In some situations, the words sentiment and emotion are roughly equivalent. However, sentiment often implies an emotion inspired by an idea.

her feminist sentiments are well known

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of emotion The team’s pink kit is seen across the globe these days, and Messi, even in the twilight of his career, still conjures emotions and fanfare usually reserved for a mega pop star. —Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 7 June 2025 An accident does not have to happen, but angry discussions with others, power struggles and strong emotions might create distractions, which, in turn, could lead to an accident. —Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 7 June 2025 Susan Vineyard/Getty Images The raw emotion displayed by Lector resonated deeply with viewers who urged those close to Fort Lauderdale to adopt him. —Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025 Staying hydrated and opting for non-alcoholic beverages can help keep emotions in check. —Milad Haghani, CNN Money, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for emotion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emotion
  1. feeling
  2. intensity
  3. chord
  4. enthusiasm
  5. sense
  6. warmth
  7. passion
  8. violence
Noun
  • Full transparency that a bot isn’t a human and doesn’t have human feelings is also essential.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 12 June 2025
  • JoJo Siwa definitely has some complicated feelings about Miley Cyrus joking about her sexuality.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 12 June 2025
Definition of feeling
Noun
  • Try and enjoy the stress and intensity of this moment.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 4 June 2025
  • Both services use data from NASA’s DSCOVR and ACE satellites, which orbit about a million miles out and measure the solar wind’s speed and magnetic intensity.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Definition of intensity
Noun
  • From the start, Smoke struck a chord with Egerton, who also serves as an executive producer.
    — JP Mangalindan, Time, 4 June 2025
  • Meanwhile, singer Melanie Martinez’s fragrance brand, Portals Parfums, has also struck a chord with the cohort, with more than 11 percent of the brand’s 230,000-plus social followers being within the ages of 13 to 17.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 3 June 2025
Definition of chord
Noun
  • The club is led by driver and CEO Tom Slingsby, the Australian 2012 Olympic gold medalist, who shared his enthusiasm for adding Jackman and Reynolds to the crew.
    — Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 5 June 2025
  • This contrasts with an apparent upcoming boom in Europe, although this is based on government coercion rather than enthusiasm for EVs.
    — Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Definition of enthusiasm
Noun
  • On one hand, Hitler’s father instilled in him a deep sense of powerlessness, fear and rage.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • There’s no sense of me and you, us and them, mine and yours.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 8 June 2025
Definition of sense
Noun
  • The experience of caring for another living creature has been found to soften inmates’ anger, allowing some to experience warmth and affection for the first time in their lives.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 8 June 2025
  • The historic residence exudes charm, warmth and character thanks to an abundance of rich woodwork, gorgeous coffered ceilings and shining hardwood floors.
    — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 7 June 2025
Definition of warmth
Noun
  • Everyone was truly invested in this adaptation and each and everyone brought part of their own passion in this project.
    — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 8 June 2025
  • His studies at the University of Cambridge's Christ's College from 1828 to 1831 encouraged his passion for natural science.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 June 2025
Definition of passion
Noun
  • Security and extremism experts say a significant factor in driving violence is that many protesters draw no distinction between someone who is Jewish and someone who supports Israel's attacks on Hamas in Gaza, which is home to about 2.1 million Palestinians.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 8 June 2025
  • The funds were then guided by an investment plan adopted by the city last September to support youth and youth violence prevention programming to nonprofits and public entities.
    — Olivia Cyrus, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2025
Definition of violence

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emoting
emotion
emotional
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Cite this Entry

“Emotion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emotion. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on emotion

Nglish: Translation of emotion for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about emotion

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