Definition

Noun: 1. The tendency to be emotional or to express feelings in an unrestrained or exaggerated way: The quality of being governed by or appealing to emotion rather than reason. 2. The quality of being emotional: The state or character of having, showing, or being easily affected by strong feelings.

Usage

• Emotionalism often describes a style of expression, argument, or art that prioritizes emotional impact over logical or factual content.
• It can be used neutrally to describe a characteristic, but frequently carries a slightly negative connotation, implying a lack of control or rationality.
• It is typically used as an uncountable noun.

Examples

• The politician's speech was criticized for its emotionalism rather than its policy details.
• Her performance was powerful, but some reviewers felt its emotionalism was excessive.
• He avoids emotionalism in his writing, preferring a calm and factual style.

Advanced Usage

• "Sentimental emotionalism": A phrase used to criticize art or expression deemed excessively and superficially emotional.
  • The film was dismissed by critics as mere sentimental emotionalism.
• In philosophical or critical discourse, emotionalism can be contrasted with rationalism or intellectualism.

Variants and Related Words

• Emotional (adjective): Relating to or characterized by emotion.
  • She gave an emotional speech.
• Emotionalist (noun): A person who is prone to emotionalism or who advocates for the importance of emotion.
  • He was an emotionalist who believed feeling was more important than logic.

Synonyms

• Sentimentality
• Mawkishness
• Demonstrativeness
• Passion

Antonyms

• Rationality
• Stoicism
• Restraint
• Objectivity

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "To appeal to emotionalism": To try to persuade people by stirring their emotions rather than using logic.
  • The advertisement appeals to emotionalism by showing happy families rather than explaining the product's features.

Noun

1. emotional nature or quality