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

The restriction has helped cultivate a blissfully tranquil ambience for both guests and the resort’s underwater species. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026

Interior design, ambience, and catered hospitality play a big role here, but so do bedding choices. —Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 15 May 2026

Every state and city has a different ambience. —Zama Magudulela, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2026

In the warm ambience of Lucas Nouveau, Roseville pottery, Darth Maul’s lightsaber, Maxfield Parrish paintings and the Staff of Ra headpiece from Raiders of the Lost Ark inhabit the same universe. —Patricia Leigh Brown, Architectural Digest, 13 May 2026

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