emotionalism

noun

Definition of emotionalismnext
as in emotionality

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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 emotionalism 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 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 Arpino’s interest in popular culture, athletic technique, and unapologetic emotionalism has found a new audience in the post-Balanchine world. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025 While this gentler effort is unlikely to be similarly impactful, its witty humor and genuine emotionalism recall the best of Pixar, where its director worked as a story artist on such films as Wall-E and Incredibles 2. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 7 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for emotionalism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emotionalism
  1. emotionality
  2. sentimentality
  3. melodrama
  4. mawkishness
Noun
  • Capturing the emotionality of the moment was paramount, and an especially incredible feat, considering Pfeiffer and her scene partner had never met before shooting.
    — Hilton Dresden, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026
  • Love, on the other hand, is connected to vulnerability, softness and emotionality, which are often viewed as negative qualities in a leader.
    — Gregory Stebbins, Forbes.com, 11 May 2026
Definition of emotionality
Noun
  • More likely, though, Brown said Jefferson’s stockpiling of gloves reflects his sentimentality toward his wife and possibly other women in the family.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
  • And what ensues is an hour and a half of aimless, frictionless, inert, and cloying sentimentality without purpose.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026
Definition of sentimentality
Noun
  • The plots of Roman romance novels are full of heightened melodrama.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
  • The ongoing war between woke and anti-woke factions is a fatuous melodrama best left to the satirists.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
Definition of melodrama
Noun
  • These films explore those bonds without ever resorting to bromides or mawkishness.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Then things just unravel into a half-hour of thoroughly phony mawkishness.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2025
Definition of mawkishness

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Cite this Entry

“Emotionalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emotionalism. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on emotionalism

Nglish: Translation of emotionalism for Spanish Speakers

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