: a style of rock music influenced by punk rock and featuring introspective and emotionally fraught lyrics
In emo, the heart forever hurts, and the ultra-introspective songwriter pines for beautiful death.Robert Sullivan
emo adjective
The film is sensitively directed, full of emo songs and quiet little character moments. Kyle Smith

Examples of emo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Vampire Weekend will headline, sharing the bill with TV on the Radio, Bloc Party, Empire of the Sun, and, most notably, a reunion of Jenny Lewis’ beloved emo band Rilo Kiley, who haven’t played a show together since 2008. Walden Green, Pitchfork, 27 Jan. 2025 Each stop will showcase between 70 and 100 bands, spanning genres such as punk rock, pop punk, emo, alternative, and more. Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 28 Jan. 2025 American Football District Music Hall, 71 Wall St., Norwalk American Football, the emo/math rock band from Illinois, put out its highly influential debut album in 1999, split up in 2000 and regrouped in 2014, having done its second and third albums since then. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 25 Jan. 2025 Her sound has exploded into a kind of psychedelic opera, first spawning from emo rap, then eventually evolving into distorted electropop. The New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for emo 

Word History

Etymology

short for emotional

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of emo was in 1988

Dictionary Entries Near emo

Cite this Entry

“Emo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emo. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!