Definition of sentimentnext

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 The sentiment shift is also seen in Oracle's five-year credit default swaps, which are insurance against default. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026 Riley was mentally checked out in LA, was one common sentiment. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026 The polls would soon reflect the same angry sentiment, across the ideological spectrum. — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2026 But what’s really happening is that consumer sentiment data and inflation data have become untethered. — Erin Kay Lockwood, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sentiment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentiment
Noun
  • Sovereign of the seas Wednesday's sinking carries a far more complicated set of emotions for Susan Gibbs.
    — Henry Larson, NPR, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Normalizing emotions may be effective in creating understanding and building rapport.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 12 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • The realm of authorship in the opinion section has also always been a bit dubious.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Two Columbia University Apartheid Divest activists, bemoaning their opposition, coauthored a June 2024 opinion article signaling overlap with the police abolition movement.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 9 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Guilt, suffering, and justified rage all loom large in Godzilla Minus Zero, and though this is science-fiction, Yamazaki is also keyed in to the real-life underpinnings of his fictional characters’ feelings.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 6 Nov. 2026
  • As Fitzgerald worked on the screenplay, more of his own feelings about women seeped into the story.
    — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • The heist dramedy follows a crew of altruistic bank robbers who document their exploits on social media, hoping to galvanize others who share their belief that the American Dream has been hijacked by predatory, merciless institutions.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The Public Policy Institute of California found that those who leave the state often go to states that share their political beliefs.
    — Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Practice the chord change or the brushstroke that interests you.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Stuttering drum patterns and elastic basslines rub up against glossy keyboards and slow piano chords, blending early 2000s sounds with the futuristic sensuality of Kelela.
    — Precious Fondren, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • The rooms The resort's rooms embody midcentury British-Caribbean elegance, featuring open interiors, marble bathrooms, and private balconies with beach views.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Follow a reference, read the longer account, or ask someone how their experience shaped their view.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • At a free, all-day festival in Newark, hundreds gathered to celebrate Indian culture, with live music, traditional clothing and food creating a sense of connection to home.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Democrats know what drove those voters away in the first place — cost of living, rent, grocery bills, public safety and a sense among working families that the party talks past them and even down to them.
    — Bradley Honan, New York Daily News, 8 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • The Sagittarius Moon favors privacy and a chance to let your mind wander.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Walton knows there isn’t a fly’s mind in his computer, but the intersection of biological intelligence and AI still intrigues him.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sentiment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentiment. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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