sentiment

noun

Save Word

sen·ti·ment | \ ˈsen-tə-mənt

Definition of sentiment

1a : an attitude, thought, or judgment prompted by feeling : predilection

b : a specific view or notion : opinion

2a : emotion

b : refined feeling : delicate sensibility especially as expressed in a work of art

c : emotional idealism

d : a romantic or nostalgic feeling verging on sentimentality

3a : an idea colored by emotion

b : the emotional significance of a passage or expression as distinguished from its verbal context

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about sentiment

Keep scrolling for more

Choose the Right Synonym for sentiment

feeling, emotion, affection, sentiment, passion mean a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation. feeling denotes any partly mental, partly physical response marked by pleasure, pain, attraction, or repulsion; it may suggest the mere existence of a response but imply nothing about the nature or intensity of it. the feelings that once moved me are gone emotion carries a strong implication of excitement or agitation but, like feeling, encompasses both positive and negative responses. the drama portrays the emotions of adolescence affection applies to feelings that are also inclinations or likings. a memoir of childhood filled with affection for her family sentiment often implies an emotion inspired by an idea. her feminist sentiments are well known passion suggests a very powerful or controlling emotion. revenge became his ruling passion

opinion, view, belief, conviction, persuasion, sentiment mean a judgment one holds as true. opinion implies a conclusion thought out yet open to dispute. each expert seemed to have a different opinion view suggests a subjective opinion. very assertive in stating his views belief implies often deliberate acceptance and intellectual assent. a firm belief in her party's platform conviction applies to a firmly and seriously held belief. the conviction that animal life is as sacred as human persuasion suggests a belief grounded on assurance (as by evidence) of its truth. was of the persuasion that everything changes sentiment suggests a settled opinion reflective of one's feelings. her feminist sentiments are well-known

Examples of sentiment in a Sentence

His criticism of the court's decision expresses a sentiment that is shared by many people. an expression of antiwar sentiments She likes warmth and sentiment in a movie. You have to be tough to succeed in the business world. There's no room for sentiment.

Recent Examples on the Web In another sign of sentiment in metals markets, shares of copper miner Freeport-McMoRan Inc. have more than doubled in the last six months and are already up 17% so far this year. — Amrith Ramkumar, WSJ, "Biden Stimulus Adds Fuel to Copper Rally," 15 Jan. 2021 Still, love’s an undeniably perfunctory sentiment in Trump’s rhetorical arsenal. — Chris Lehmann, The New Republic, "Feeling Trump’s Pain," 11 Jan. 2021 King, who was a 2017 Black Women in Hollywood Award honoree, explains a similar sentiment in what drew her to the film. — Kimberly Wilson, Essence, "‘Sylvie's Love’ Stars Tessa Thompson and Aja Naomi King Discuss What It Means To Own A Seat At The Table," 17 Dec. 2020 The anti-China sentiment in the country and calls to boycott Chinese products could put those jobs at risk. — Sherisse Pham, CNN, "Chinese tech companies bet big on India. Now they're being shut out," 10 Dec. 2020 Despite having campaigned on a promise to restore norms Trump disregarded and to respect traditions, Biden seemed to underestimate bipartisan sentiment in Congress for civilian leadership of the Pentagon. — David S. Cloud, Los Angeles Times, "Biden’s pick of retired general for Pentagon is criticized for breaching civilian control," 8 Dec. 2020 There is not one place in the world where women are equal in all aspects of life, and that sentiment in itself should tell you so much about our world and why there is a need for change. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "Malia Baker is Using Her Platform to End Gender-Based Violence," 1 Dec. 2020 While that’s a familiar sentiment in the back-and-forth of Brexit, the urgency is ramping up as Britain’s departure from the EU’s single market on Dec. 31 fast approaches. — David Goodman, Bloomberg.com, "U.K. Says It Won’t Retreat as Brexit Talks Enter ‘Move’ Week," 16 Nov. 2020 Chinese companies are using an ingenious trick to navigate the rising anti-China sentiment in India. — Niharika Sharma, Quartz India, "Chinese brands are using an ingenious trick to sidestep Indian hostility," 11 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sentiment.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.