FEELING Synonyms: 386 Similar and Opposite Words

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

feeling 1 of 3

noun

ˈfē-liŋ

Definition of feeling

as in emotion

a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation an overall feeling of happiness about their new home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in passions

feelings plural general emotional condition a remark that thoughtlessly hurt her feelings

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as in belief

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fact
truth

as in feel

an indefinite physical response to a stimulus that odd feeling of forward movement you get when the parked car next to you backs out

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in sympathy

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in kindness

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

feeling

2 of 3

adjective

as in loving

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

feeling

3 of 3

verb

present participle of feel

as in sensing

to have a vague awareness of I feel trouble brewing in the town

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as in touching

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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as in experiencing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in thinking

to have as an opinion I just feel that we haven't explored all of our options for raising funds

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in fumbling

to search for something blindly or uncertainly the sudden blackout had us feeling around in the dark for a flashlight

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in seeming

to give the impression of being it felt like a good idea at the time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

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

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

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

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

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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of feeling

Noun

For him, the trick with the stomach being the setting for a majority of the movie was balancing the claustrophobic feeling of Jay’s plight with breaks from the cramped space. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026 Drums burst over pirouetting synth chords, while Stel’s wispy harmonies evoke the feeling of coming up on ecstasy. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026

Verb

Israel, feeling more exposed, might become more inclined to strike preventively, and without the United States involved, Iran and its regional proxies might be more tempted to strike back. — Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2026 Chew is leaning toward voting for Democrats again this year, feeling that Trump let them down. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for feeling

Recent Examples of Synonyms for feeling

Noun

The photography by Andrew Jacobs is juxtaposed against works by the Belgian artist Katrien de Blauwer, commissioned for the project to evoke emotion through color.

— David Moin, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
These passages connect sensation and emotion without stopping to explain their relationship.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of emotion

Noun

Think of Venus retrograde in Scorpio and Libra, from October 3 to November 13, as a steamy, scandalous romance novel that fuels our passions and liaisons.

— Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2026
Material play and experimentation are passions of the veteran designer, who only seems to get more energized with each passing season.

— Katie Abel, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of passions

Noun

But that concern has been addressed here thanks to the aforementioned brake upgrades, which deliver confident stopping power at speed as well as excellent pedal feel.

— Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
Ostermoor is an investment, sure, but its heavyweight fill of white duck feather and down creates a cozy, cocoon-like feel.

— Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of feel

Noun

But Trump’s persistent sympathy for Russia’s position remains a mystery of our time.

— Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Public sympathy for Palestinians is widespread in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, and the government has long supported an independent Palestinian state.

— Niniek Karmini, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of sympathy

Adjective

Motherhood may not have been her calling, but Sabrina Popo was a loving and affectionate grandmother.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
God is the one divine Mind, and what God knows is what’s real – including each of us as His creation, spiritual, loving, whole, and helpful.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of loving

Verb

Nebraska, sensing the game was slipping away, went for it on fourth-and-9 from its own 44-yard line with just under five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

— Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Unlike motion-capture systems that rely on rigid sensors attached to clothing, the design uses soft components throughout its sensing surface.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of sensing

Articles Related to feeling

Cite this Entry

Style

“Feeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feeling. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of feeling

noun

adjective

verb

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Obscure Words for Everyday Feelings

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