ambience

noun

am·​bi·​ence ˈam-bē-ən(t)s 

ˈäm-bē-än(t)s

variants or ambiance

: a feeling or mood associated with a particular place, person, or thing : atmosphere

The restaurant's soft music and candlelight gave it a romantic ambience.

Synonyms of ambience

• aura
• atmosphere
• smell
• aroma
• air

Examples of ambience in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Inside, wood tables and chairs, a natural stone fireplace, dark leather banquettes and bronze chandeliers with hurricane glass shades round out the ambience. —Usa Today Network, USA Today, 19 Dec. 2025

Soft, warm lighting is a mainstay across our home tours—like this scenic Silver Lake house—for a welcoming ambience. —Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 18 Dec. 2025

Common features of star projectors include a sleep timer, so the unit doesn't run through the night, a speaker to add to ambience and rotation, so the images have a moving effect, rather than staying still on a wall or ceiling. —Alexander Cox, Space.com, 18 Dec. 2025

The play takes place inside a giant drain pipe constructed on the stage, and underneath it all thrums a destabilizing Lynchian sound design of moody ambience. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

in part from ambi(ent) entry 1 + -ence, in part borrowed from French ambiance (from ambiant "ambient" + -ance -ance)

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ambience

• ambiance

Kids Definition

ambience

noun

am·​bi·​ence

variants or ambiance

ˈam-bē-ən(t)s  ˈäm-bē-än(t)s 

: a feeling or mood that is related to a particular place, person, or thing