emotionalism

noun

emo·​tion·​al·​ism i-ˈmō-sh(ə-)nə-ˌli-zəm How to pronounce emotionalism (audio)
1
: a tendency to regard things emotionally
2
: undue indulgence in or display of emotion

Examples of emotionalism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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McQuarrie’s feats lack the comic timing, composition, and emotionalism that cartoonist-director Brad Bird brought to the thrilling Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Ethan/Tom spider-walking the Burj Khalifa skyscraper and outrunning a dust storm, Paula Patton’s womanly catfight with Léa Seydoux). Armond White, National Review, 23 May 2025 That form inflects the entire movie—the contours of its dramas, the style of the performances, the earnest emotionalism—while also embodying a noteworthy conceptual vision. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025 That form inflects the entire movie—the contours of its dramas, the style of the performances, the earnest emotionalism—while also embodying a noteworthy conceptual vision. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025 Simmons took that religious devotion to exercise, stripped away its grim asceticism and elitism, and imbued it with pure emotionalism and inclusivity. Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, The Atlantic, 16 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for emotionalism

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of emotionalism was in 1865

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Cite this Entry

“Emotionalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emotionalism. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

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