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
adverb em-
Synonyms
- aggressive
- assertive
- dynamic
- energetic
- forceful
- full-blooded
- muscular
- resounding
- strenuous
- vehement
- vigorous
- violent
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
They were emphatic about their political differences. the governor issued an emphatic denial of all charges
Recent Examples on the Web Secretly, Nick arranged a romantic beachside proposal which resulted in happy tears and an emphatic 'Yes!'. 
Matt Preis, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2022 Friedman was emphatic: Companies that went down this road were not just well-meaning and misguided. Marc Sidwell, National Review, 13 Sep. 2022 Investing in relationships also has to be a critical leadership priority—the CDOs in the roundtable were emphatic on this point. Keith Ferrazzi, Forbes, 19 May 2022 Rather, their intervention is at its most emphatic, and most conspicuous, in the editing of the large body of interview footage (between fifty and sixty hours’ worth, according to Ophuls) into a taut, coherent narrative. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 July 2022 Yet there was ample support for Biden's emphatic embrace of the voting rights cause. Richard Galant, CNN, 16 Jan. 2022 And scientists as well as government officials are generally emphatic that schools remain open for in-person learning. Joel Achenbach And Carolyn Y. Johnson, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Jan. 2022 When Kunce speaks, his arm gestures are coiled, taut, emphatic. Bill Donahue, Washington Post, 20 June 2022 The second week in a row, and even more emphatic than the first. Dylan Bumbarger, oregonlive, 2 May 2022 See More
Matt Preis, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2022 Friedman was emphatic: Companies that went down this road were not just well-meaning and misguided. Marc Sidwell, National Review, 13 Sep. 2022 Investing in relationships also has to be a critical leadership priority—the CDOs in the roundtable were emphatic on this point. Keith Ferrazzi, Forbes, 19 May 2022 Rather, their intervention is at its most emphatic, and most conspicuous, in the editing of the large body of interview footage (between fifty and sixty hours’ worth, according to Ophuls) into a taut, coherent narrative. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 July 2022 Yet there was ample support for Biden's emphatic embrace of the voting rights cause. Richard Galant, CNN, 16 Jan. 2022 And scientists as well as government officials are generally emphatic that schools remain open for in-person learning. Joel Achenbach And Carolyn Y. Johnson, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Jan. 2022 When Kunce speaks, his arm gestures are coiled, taut, emphatic. Bill Donahue, Washington Post, 20 June 2022 The second week in a row, and even more emphatic than the first. Dylan Bumbarger, oregonlive, 2 May 2022 See More 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-ˈfa-tik
: spoken or done forcefully
She shook her head in emphatic refusal.
emphatically
adverb
as in resolutely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- resolutely
- surely
- determinedly
- steadfastly
- solidly
- smartly
- decidedly
- soundly
- rigidly
- intensively
- crisply
- briskly
- vivaciously
- spiritedly
- heartily
- squarely
- actively
- purposefully
- intently
- vehemently
- assertively
- steadily
- animatedly
- fast
- eagerly
- fixedly
- lustily
- aggressively
- strongly
- sharply
- fiercely
- firmly
- gamely
- potently
- forcefully
- robustly
- violently
- manfully
- vigorously
- spunkily
- powerfully
- stoutly
- energetically
- directly
- snappily
- roundly
- sturdily
- strenuously
- forcibly
- explosively
- stiffly
- dynamically
- muscularly
- roughshod
- mightily
- hammer and tongs
- hard
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- weakly
- feebly
- softly
- gently
- faintly
- delicately
- shakily
- languidly
- lamely
- lazily
- halfheartedly
- listlessly
- uncertainly
- frailly
- ineffectively
- ineffectually
- impotently
- bloodlessly
- spinelessly
- nervelessly
- spiritlessly