Thesaurus

feeling

Q: How is the word 'feeling' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of feeling are affection , emotion , passion , and sentiment . While all these words 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

Q: When can 'affection' be used instead of 'feeling'?

The words affection and feeling can be used in similar contexts, but affection applies to feelings that are also inclinations or likings. // a memoir of childhood filled with affection for her family

Q: How do 'emotion' and 'feeling' relate to one another?

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

Q: When could 'passion' be used to replace 'feeling'?

The words passion and feeling are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, passion suggests a very powerful or controlling emotion. // revenge became his ruling passion

Q: When might 'sentiment' be a better fit than 'feeling'?

The meanings of sentiment and feeling largely overlap; however, sentiment often implies an emotion inspired by an idea. // her feminist sentiments are well known

noun

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Synonyms & Antonyms of feeling

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation

an overall feeling of happiness about their new home

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2 feelings plural general emotional condition

a remark that thoughtlessly hurt her feelings

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3 an idea that is believed to be true or valid without positive knowledge

an interesting think piece in which the congresswoman expressed her feelings about our nation's most pressing problems

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attitude

counterview

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fact,
truth

4 an indefinite physical response to a stimulus

that odd feeling of forward movement you get when the parked car next to you backs out

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5 sorrow or the capacity to feel sorrow for another's suffering or misfortune

a rich person without much feeling for those who are less fortunate

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6 the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune

a woman of great feeling, the princess wanted to use her status and influence to help the needy

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feeling

adjective

Synonyms & Antonyms of feeling (Entry 2 of 3)

as in warm, intense

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constrained

feeling

verb

present participle of feel

Synonyms & Antonyms of feeling (Entry 3 of 3)

1 to have a vague awareness of

I feel trouble brewing in the town

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2 to come into bodily contact with (something) so as to perceive a slight pressure on the skin

feel this blanket and perceive how soft it is

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touching

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3 to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it

with the birth of their first child the couple came to feel true happiness for the first time

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Phrases Synonymous with feeling

going through

4 to have as an opinion

I just feel that we haven't explored all of our options for raising funds

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5 to search for something blindly or uncertainly

the sudden blackout had us feeling around in the dark for a flashlight

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grabbling

6 to give the impression of being

it felt like a good idea at the time

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Frequently Asked Questions About feeling

How is the word feeling distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of feeling are affection, emotion, passion, and sentiment. While all these words 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