sentience

noun

sen·​tience ˈsen(t)-sh(ē-)ən(t)s How to pronounce sentience (audio)
ˈsen-tē-ən(t)s
1
: a sentient quality or state
2
: feeling or sensation as distinguished from perception and thought

Examples of sentience in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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This means that the issue of AI sentience can never be definitively and unanimously resolved. Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026 Toys have sentience as well as the ability to move around when humans aren’t looking. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 18 June 2026 In 2025, the office was hoping to tackle neuroethics — questions of sentience in brain organoids and considerations for recipients of brain-computer interfaces. Megan Molteni, STAT, 5 June 2026 So there are a massive number of worlds out there where life could have evolved and attained sentience and spaceflight capabilities. Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sentience

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sentience was in 1839

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Cite this Entry

“Sentience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sentience. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

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