plural sensations
1
: a particular feeling or effect that your body experiences
I experienced a stinging/prickling/tingling sensation in my arm.
She felt a burning sensation in her throat.
visual/bodily sensations
a sensation of hunger
She craved new experiences and sensations.
2
: a particular feeling or experience that may not have a real cause
I had a sensation of falling. [=I felt as if I were falling]
She had the strange sensation that someone was watching her.
I couldn't quite shake the sensation that I'd been fooled.
3
: the ability to feel things through your physical senses
Her injury left her with no sensation in her legs.
4
a
: a lot of excitement and interest
—usually singular
The news created (quite) a sensation.
News of the corporate merger caused a sensation on the stock market.
b
: someone or something that causes a lot of excitement and interest
—usually singular
The rave reviews turned the book into a nationwide sensation overnight.
a music/pop sensation
Cite this Entry
“Sensation.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/sensation. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy Citation
