Synonym Chooser

How is the word sentiment distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of sentiment are affection, emotion, feeling, and passion. While all these words mean "a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation," sentiment often implies an emotion inspired by an idea.

her feminist sentiments are well known

In what contexts can affection take the place of sentiment?

The synonyms affection and sentiment are sometimes interchangeable, 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, in the sense of sentiment?

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 feeling be used to replace sentiment?

The words feeling and sentiment are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 passion be used instead of sentiment?

The meanings of passion and sentiment largely overlap; however, passion suggests a very powerful or controlling emotion.

revenge became his ruling passion

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 sentiment Toward the end of last year, including after the election, hiring and investment picked up and so did sentiment – especially as inflation appeared to be getting tamed, Ron Hetrick, senior labor economist at Lightcast, told CNN. Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025 Prince William offered a kind sentiment to his mother after her high-profile divorce from Charles. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 6 Sep. 2025 Decker echoed the same sentiment to the outlet. Ariana Quihuiz, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025 Jasmine Samano — director of wellness at Proper Hospitality, which curates high-end lifestyle hospitality experiences across multiple properties — takes this sentiment a step further. Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sentiment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentiment
Noun
  • There is nothing left now but rhythm and exhaustion and raw emotion and stardust bursting out of you.
    George Caulkin, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The show’s palette trends toward bottle-green woods, gauzy golden light, dusky midnight-blue nighttime scenes, and grimly gray interiors, and within those tableaus, Task’s male characters are gorgeously aggrieved, emotion pouring off of them like coffee from a Wawa urn.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This is 22 percentage points lower than in August 2020 when 70 percent of Americans had a positive opinion about the court.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.
    Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • While Schneider was expressing his feelings about the unknown state of Judge’s normally rocket arm, the Yankees seemed weary about answering these kind of inquiries.
    Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Fortunately, there is one way to get that tropical feeling without ever stepping on a plane.
    Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Contrary to her husband’s belief, she is not chased by paparazzi.
    Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The vast majority of citizens no longer trust that hard work pays off and belief in the American dream has hit a record low.
    John Hope Bryant, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In the heart of Columbia Tusculum, where Cincinnati's oldest neighborhood breathes with vibrant, historic energy, April Combs Mann struck a new kind of chord.
    Hailey Roden, The Enquirer, 31 Aug. 2025
  • But though its conversations about tenure can be a chore, its presentation of the modern campus as the Somme — in terms of the battleground for progressive politics — does strike a very timely chord.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • This livestream from The Virtual Telescope Project will share real-time views from Italy, where totality begins just as the full moon appears on the eastern horizon.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Its crown jewel was the balcony, which opened up to uninterrupted views of the lake and the hotel's waterfront promenade.
    Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This has for decades been underpinned by voluntary pricing agreements — voluntary in the sense that non-voluntary terms would have been worse — between the industry and the NHS.
    Ian King, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
  • There is no sense of responsibility or critical assessment of the causes of the refusal to publish in Israel while the massacre continues.
    Uriel Kon September 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • When travelers think of luxurious travel, buses aren't necessarily top of mind.
    Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Lonely nights and a racing mind spiraled him into a deep depression.
    Alec Lewis, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sentiment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentiment. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

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