emphatic

adjective

em·​phat·​ic im-ˈfa-tik 

em-

1

: uttered with or marked by emphasis

an emphatic refusal

2

: tending to express oneself in forceful speech or to take decisive action

3

: attracting special attention

4

: constituting or belonging to a set of tense forms in English consisting of the auxiliary do followed by an infinitive without to that are used to facilitate rhetorical inversion or to emphasize something

emphatically

im-ˈfa-ti-k(ə-)lē 

em-

adverb

Synonyms

• aggressive
• assertive
• dynamic
• energetic
• forceful
• full-blooded
• muscular
• resounding
• strenuous
• vehement
• vigorous
• violent

Examples of emphatic in a Sentence

They were emphatic about their political differences.

the governor issued an emphatic denial of all charges

Recent Examples on the Web

Late in a herky-jerky first half, the backup guard’s emphatic drive and dunk helped cut into Penn State’s lead. —Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2025

Later, as Billy has an emphatic conversation with Robinson and Sinatra OUT IN THE OPEN, Xavier sees them but can’t hear what’s going on. —Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 4 Feb. 2025

Santiago Gimenez opened the scoring with an emphatic finish after a flowing move that started from the goalkeeper — just one of three shots that Feyenoord kept on target all evening. —Thom Harris, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025

Florida snapped a 123-minute, 35-second scoreless streak in emphatic fashion Monday. —Adam Beasley, Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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 entry 1 — more at emphasis

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

emphatic

adjective

em·​phat·​ic im-ˈfat-ik 

em-

1

: uttered with or marked by emphasis

2

: tending to express oneself in forceful speech or action

3

: attracting special attention

an emphatic design

emphatically

-ˈfat-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb