soulful

/ˈsəʊlfl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsəʊlfl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsōl-fəl/ (ame, mw)

soulful — adjective

  • soulfulpositive
  • more soulfulcomparative
  • most soulfulsuperlative

1. showing strong, genuine emotion, especially through someone's voice, eyes, or mu

1.形容詞B2
釋義

showing strong, genuine emotion, especially through someone's voice, eyes, or music

例句

Mei-Lin sang a soulful ballad that made half the audience cry.

collocation: soulful + ballad / song / voice

The old photograph showed a young man whose deep, soulful eyes seemed to hold years of quiet longing.

collocation: soulful + eyes / gaze / look

同義詞
  • emotional

    broader; 'soulful' is more intense and sincere

  • expressive

    focuses on communication of feeling rather than depth of feeling itself

  • heartfelt

    similar depth but usually describes words or actions, not voice or eyes

反義詞
  • soulless

    opposite — lacking any deep feeling or emotion

文法句型

soulful + noun

be + soulful (look/voice/eyes/music)

用法筆記

Commonly describes the voice, eyes, facial expression, or a piece of music. Frequently appears with nouns like 'voice', 'eyes', 'ballad', 'melody', 'performance'.

常見錯誤

❌He gave a soulful look at the menu.
✅He gave a soulful look at his wedding ring.
💡'soulful' describes deep emotion, not casual interest; the object should call for a genuine emotional response.

2. connected with or showing a deep, authentic appreciation for African American cu

2.形容詞C1
釋義

connected with or showing a deep, authentic appreciation for African American culture, especially its traditions in music, art, and storytelling

例句

Thiago's jazz band plays a soulful blend of gospel and blues rooted in the African American musical tradition.

collocation: soulful + blend / rhythm / groove

The documentary explores the soulful roots of hip-hop in the neighborhoods of New York.

同義詞
  • authentic

    broader; lacks the specific cultural link to Black heritage

  • rootsy

    informal, refers to traditional folk or blues styles but not specific to Black culture

文法句型

soulful + noun (music/singing/rhythm/style)

用法筆記

This sense is closely tied to the adjective 'soul' as used in 'soul music' and 'soul food'. It describes a quality rooted in African American cultural heritage rather than individual emotion. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 focuses on the emotional expression itself; sense 2 links that expression to a specific cultural tradition.

常見錯誤

❌The painting has a soulful quality because the artist used dark colors.
✅The painting has a soulful quality that reflects the artist's deep connection to Black cultural traditions.
💡This sense requires a cultural, not just emotional, frame of reference.