noun
emo
EE-moh
noun
1
A style of guitar-driven rock music known for emotional, often confessional lyrics, along with the subculture and fashion associated with it.
"His playlist was full of emo bands from the mid-2000s."
"The emo scene had its own distinctive look, from dyed black hair to skinny jeans."
adj
1
Openly emotional, sensitive, or melancholic, especially in an exaggerated or self-dramatizing way.
"He got a bit emo after the breakup and wouldn't stop texting sad lyrics."
How to Use Emo
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes a music genre/subculture built around raw emotion, or casually describes someone being overly emotional or moody.
When to use it
Informal, and can be used either as a neutral description of the music genre or as a mildly teasing label for someone acting overly sensitive.
Common pairings
emo music
emo kid
emo phase
Word Forms
more emo comparative, emos plural, most emo superlative
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His playlist was full of _____ bands from the mid-2000s.
Etymology
A clipped form of "emotional," first used to describe an emotionally intense strain of punk rock in the late 1980s.