What does emotionally mean?
"Emotionally" is an adverb describing actions, reactions, and states connected with feeling rather than thought or physical sensation. It has two main uses: it can describe how something is done — someone who speaks, reacts, or behaves emotionally does so with visible or strong feeling — or it can specify the domain in which something occurs, as in "emotionally exhausted" or "emotionally supportive," where feelings are distinguished from physical or intellectual ones. The word is neutral in tone, appearing equally in everyday conversation and in psychology, journalism, and self-help writing, where phrases like "emotionally intelligent" and "emotionally unavailable" have become especially widespread. Its connotations depend on context: acting emotionally may suggest warmth and sincerity, or, less favorably, a loss of composure. Derived from "emotion," which entered English from French and ultimately from Latin emovere, meaning to move out or stir up, it is an indispensable word for discussing the inner lives of human beings.
In a way that involves, displays, or relates to strong feeling.
"The witness answered emotionally when asked about the accident."
With regard to a person's emotional state or needs, as distinct from their physical or mental condition.
"After months of remote work she felt isolated both socially and emotionally."
Before the 19th century, people didn't get 'emotional' — they were 'passionate,' because 'emotion' itself was barely a word in English.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of emotionally
"Emotionally" derives from "emotional," formed from "emotion" plus the adjectival suffix -al, with the adverbial suffix -ly added later. "Emotion" entered English from French émotion in the early 17th century, originally referring to physical disturbance or agitation before narrowing to its modern sense of feeling; it traces back to Latin emovere, meaning to move out, stir up, or excite, from e- (out) plus movere (to move). Cognates sharing this root include "motion," "motive," "promote," and "remote."
Related word forms
How emotionally is actually used
Neutral in register and common across formal and informal English. In psychological and self-help contexts it frequently modifies adjectives of state (drained, invested, available), where it contrasts emotional wellbeing with physical or mental wellbeing.