Emphatic — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /im-ˈfa-tik/ em·phat·ic

Meaning & Definition of Emphatic

Emphatic (adjective)

  1. uttered with or marked by emphasis
  2. tending to express oneself in forceful speech or to take decisive action
  3. attracting special attention

Emphatic (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. marked by or uttered with forcefulness

    "the governor issued an emphatic denial of all charges"

    similar: aggressive, assertive, dynamic, energetic, forceful, full-blooded, muscular, resounding, strenuous, vehement, vigorous, violent
    related: decided, insistent, marked, pointed, absolute, categorical, clear, plain, unambiguous, unequivocal, arresting, compelling, conspicuous, impelling, noticeable, striking
    opposite: nonassertive, nonemphatic, unemphatic
    near: guarded, mild, uncompelling, weak, wishy-washy, ambiguous, equivocal, halting, hesitant, understated

  2. likely to attract attention

    "with all of the decorative fishing nets, lobster pots, and oars, the seafood restaurant's nautical theme was a little too emphatic for my taste"

    similar: arresting, bodacious, bold, brilliant, catchy, commanding, conspicuous, dramatic, eye-catching, flamboyant, grabby, kenspeckle (chiefly Scottish), marked, noisy, noticeable, prominent, pronounced, remarkable, showy, splashy, striking
    related: detectable, discernible, observable, perceptible, recognizable, visible, outstanding, salient, distinguished, eminent, impressive, notable, noteworthy, highlighted, spotlighted, flagrant, glaring, howling, screaming, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, jazzy, loud, meretricious, swank, tawdry, highfalutin, ostentatious, pretentious, extravagant, fancy, florid, glittery, spectacular, opulent, ornate, overdone, overwrought, absorbing, engrossing, enthralling, fascinating, interesting, riveting
    opposite: inconspicuous, unemphatic, unflamboyant, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, unremarkable, unshowy
    near: subtle, concealed, hidden, shrouded, dim, faint, obscure, insignificant, undistinguished, unimportant, modest, unaffected, unassuming, unpretentious, conservative, plain, quiet, simple, understated, muted, restrained, subdued, toned-down, unflashy

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Emphatic

The most common words with a similar meaning to Emphatic:

Chiefly Scottish: kenspeckle
aggressive, assertive, dynamic, energetic, forceful, full-blooded, muscular, resounding, strenuous, vehement, vigorous, violent, arresting, bodacious, bold, brilliant, catchy, commanding, conspicuous, dramatic, eye-catching, flamboyant, grabby, marked, noisy, noticeable, prominent, pronounced, remarkable, showy, splashy, striking

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Emphatic

Words with the opposite meaning of Emphatic:

nonassertive, nonemphatic, unemphatic, inconspicuous, unflamboyant, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, unremarkable, unshowy

Related Words for Emphatic

decided, insistent, pointed, absolute, categorical, clear, plain, unambiguous, unequivocal, compelling, impelling, detectable, discernible, observable, perceptible, recognizable, visible, outstanding, salient, distinguished, eminent, impressive, notable, noteworthy, highlighted, spotlighted, flagrant, glaring, howling, screaming

Near Antonyms of Emphatic

guarded, mild, uncompelling, weak, wishy-washy, ambiguous, equivocal, halting, hesitant, understated, subtle, concealed, hidden, shrouded, dim, faint, obscure, insignificant, undistinguished, unimportant, modest, unaffected, unassuming, unpretentious, conservative, plain, quiet, simple, muted, restrained

Word Forms of Emphatic

Derived words: emphatically (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Emphatic

borrowed from French & Late Latin; French emphatique "forcefully expressive," going back to Middle French, borrowed from Late Latin emphaticus, borrowed from Greek emphatikós "expressive, indicative," from empha-, stem in noun derivation of emphaínein "to exhibit, display, indicate" + -t-, verbal adjective formative + -ikos -ic:1 emphasis

First known use: 1602

Frequently Asked Questions about Emphatic

What does "Emphatic" mean?

"Emphatic" means uttered with or marked by emphasis. As an adjective, it is defined as: uttered with or marked by emphasis. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Emphatic"?

Other words for "Emphatic" include aggressive, assertive, dynamic, energetic, forceful, full-blooded, muscular and resounding. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Emphatic" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Emphatic"?

There are 90 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Emphatic". Common alternatives include aggressive, assertive, dynamic, energetic, forceful, full-blooded, muscular, resounding, strenuous and vehement.

What is the opposite of "Emphatic"?

Antonyms of "Emphatic" include nonassertive, nonemphatic, unemphatic, inconspicuous, unflamboyant, unnoticeable, unobtrusive and unremarkable. Near antonyms include guarded, mild, uncompelling and weak.

How do you use "Emphatic" in a sentence?

Examples of "Emphatic" in a sentence: "the governor issued an emphatic denial of all charges"; "with all of the decorative fishing nets, lobster pots, and oars, the seafood restaurant's nautical theme was a little too emphatic for my taste".

Is "Emphatic" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Emphatic" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Emphatic"?

"Emphatic" is pronounced /im-ˈfa-tik/ and divided into syllables as em·phat·ic.

What is the origin of the word "Emphatic"?

"Emphatic" comes from borrowed from French & Late Latin; French emphatique "forcefully expressive," going back to Middle French, borrowed from Late Latin emphaticus, borrowed from Greek emphatikós "expressive, indicative," from empha-, stem in noun derivation of emphaínein "to exhibit, display, indicate" + -t-, verbal adjective formative + -ikos -ic:1 emphasis. First known use: 1602.