sense 1 of 2

noun

ˈsen(t)s How to pronounce sense (audio)
Definition of sensenext
1
as in feeling
an indefinite physical response to a stimulus a strange sense of discomfort brought on by the room's strong colors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in intellect
the ability to learn and understand or to deal with problems although he has little formal education, he is a man of considerable practical sense

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in prudence
the ability to make intelligent decisions especially in everyday matters you have the sense to handle anything that comes up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in meaning
the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action got the general sense of the poem

Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in reasoning
the thought processes that have been established as leading to valid solutions to problems your argument simply shows no sense

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sense

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to feel
to have a vague awareness of the deer seemed to sense danger

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to understand
to have a clear idea of I did not sense the full meaning of his cryptic warning until much later

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun sense contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sense are common sense, judgment, and wisdom. While all these words mean "ability to reach intelligent conclusions," sense implies a reliable ability to judge and decide with soundness, prudence, and intelligence.

a choice showing good sense

Where would common sense be a reasonable alternative to sense?

The words common sense and sense can be used in similar contexts, but common sense suggests an average degree of such ability without sophistication or special knowledge.

common sense tells me it's wrong

When would judgment be a good substitute for sense?

Although the words judgment and sense have much in common, judgment implies sense tempered and refined by experience, training, and maturity.

they relied on her judgment for guidance

In what contexts can wisdom take the place of sense?

In some situations, the words wisdom and sense are roughly equivalent. However, wisdom implies sense and judgment far above average.

a leader of rare wisdom

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 sense
Noun
Beyond the postcard-perfect beaches and turquoise water, the region offers a remarkable range of hotels, each one with a distinct sense of place. — Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026 Chasing daily targets can also breed a sense of failure when the numbers do not cooperate. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026
Verb
Underground, buried fiber-optic cables can sense movement, capturing data that are also then analyzed by AI. — Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026 Underground, buried fiberoptic cables can sense movement, capturing data that is also then analyzed by AI. — Rebecca Santana, Fortune, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sense
  1. feeling
  2. intellect
  3. prudence
  4. meaning
  5. reasoning
  6. feel
  7. understand
  8. sensation
Noun
  • Clean Reserve’s Warm Cotton Eau de Parfum leans a little more literal, pairing crisp citrus and aldehydes with floral cotton notes and musk to capture that just-out-of-the-dryer feeling.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 11 July 2026
  • And quietly, improbably, the film generates a feeling that its subject could have been anyone—or maybe no one.
    — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 11 July 2026
Definition of feeling
Noun
  • His ebullience, keen intellect and warmth jump off the pages.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
  • Recognizing her extraordinary intellect, the Wheatley family educated her, and by age 20 her poetry had earned publication in London.
    — Robin Follman, Oc Register, 4 July 2026
Definition of intellect
Noun
  • The World Economic Forum calls it financial nihilism — the conclusion that the system no longer rewards prudence, driving a cohort toward crypto bets, prediction markets, and raided retirement accounts.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 July 2026
  • But not necessarily the knowledge, confidence or contacts to take it to next stage of monetization, strike collaborative partnerships or exercise operational prudence.
    — Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of prudence
Noun
  • The differing inlay materials — such as mother of pearl, malachite and onyx — have been given different mystical meanings by social media users (helping with the wearer’s career, love life, friendships or finances, for example).
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
  • Explore philosophies that give you a better self-awareness and get you closer to the true meaning of your life.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 8 July 2026
Definition of meaning
Noun
  • To prevent over-reliance on technology, core first-year courses will pilot a ban on electronic devices, compelling students to develop foundational reasoning skills without AI shortcuts.
    — Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • An additional 1,600, including those in humanities, social sciences and arts, later joined to argue that verbal reasoning and writing skills were lacking too.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Definition of reasoning
Verb
  • Either way, for a community facing such deep loss, the space felt to Dondi like a warm blanket.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • On one wall, Garcia has some of his hats on display, beautifully constructed in beaver felt.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of feel
Verb
  • As some participants vow to be crucified in exchange for family members’ recovery from ill health, panata is also understood as a sacrifice made out of love for others in the community.
    — H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 10 July 2026
  • The study was conducted to better understand the true prevalence and distribution of alpha-gal IgE, antibodies produced by the body to fight the presence of the sugar molecule alpha-gal.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
Definition of understand
Noun
  • With K-pop becoming more global, which has made TWICE global sensations, Jihyo is surprised by how many collaborations K-pop artists have had with Western artists.
    — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • Now, a social media sensation, fans from all over the world have fallen in love with Norway’s battle cry.
    — Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 11 July 2026
Definition of sensation

Phrases Containing sense

Browse Nearby Words

sensations
sense
sensed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sense. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on sense

Nglish: Translation of sense for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sense

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All