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

The former 154-pound champion started putting the building blocks back in place to make a run back at a world title with an emphatic fourth-round TKO win over Joey Spencer. —Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025

Houston was plenty impressive in its own right last weekend, squeaking by Purdue (4) before suffocating Tennessee (2) in an emphatic 69-50 Elite Eight win. —Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025

Over the years in live performances, Elton has often put a bit more shine on the back half, buoying the vocals and banging through emphatic piano accompaniments. —Shana Naomi Krochmal, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025

Goldthorpe is known for his vocal, and at times emphatic, opinions. —Nick Rosenberger, Idaho Statesman, 1 Apr. 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

Rhymes for emphatic

• asthmatic
• chromatic
• climatic
• dogmatic
• dramatic
• ecstatic
• erratic
• eustatic
• fanatic
• hepatic
• lymphatic
• magmatic

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