{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. emphatique. See Emphasis. ] 1. Uttered with emphasis; made prominent and impressive by a peculiar stress of voice; laying stress; deserving of stress or emphasis; forcible; impressive; strong; as, to remonstrate in an emphatic manner; emphatic denials; an emphatic word; an emphatic tone; emphatic reasoning. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Striking the sense; attracting special attention; impressive; forcible. “Emphatical colors.” Boyle. “Emphatical evils.” Bp. Reynolds. 3. Forceful and definite in expression or action; -- of statements, actions, or sections of documents; as, the document contained a particularly emphatic guarantee of religious liberty. Syn. -- forceful. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ] 4. Sudden and strong; -- of statements; as, an emphatic no. Syn. -- exclamatory. [ WordNet 1.5 ] Syn. -- Forcible; earnest; impressive; energetic; striking; positive; important; special; significant. [ 1913 Webster ] Variants: emphatic |