as in simple
functioning outside the area of conscious awareness but acting to influence one's thoughts or feelings
A subliminal image was embedded in the advertisement. The subliminal sounds supposedly aid in getting to sleep, but I am skeptical.
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Recent Examples of subliminal
In the midst of the chaos of her name being thrown around, GloRilla fired off a subliminal tweet about a certain guy blowing up her phone, which many thought was about Thug.
—
Michael Saponara, Billboard, 4 Sep. 2025
Here, the affection is not romantic but familial, flowing in soft, subliminal waves between parents and their adult children.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
The researchers called the strange effect subliminal learning.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
Is this just a fun music video or subliminal mind prep for an upcoming era?
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subliminal
Michael Saponara, Billboard, 4 Sep. 2025
Here, the affection is not romantic but familial, flowing in soft, subliminal waves between parents and their adult children.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
The researchers called the strange effect subliminal learning.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
Is this just a fun music video or subliminal mind prep for an upcoming era?
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subliminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subliminal
Adjective
-
That simple sentiment distills what being a Louisianan is about.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
No doubt history would be very different if a citizen’s duty was simple obeyance.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The leaf shutter in the lens has a range from bulb to 1/500th of a second and is controlled via a mechanical film advance lever built around brass gears and mechanisms that provides a tactile experience.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Lunar rocks and soil offered novel insights into the moon’s origin and composition, and more recent analysis of previously untouched Apollo samples, as well as samples retrieved by robotic missions, revealed the surprising discovery of water trapped in rocks thought to be bone-dry.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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The Paiza Collection’s 160 butlers go through an extensive training program, and what that produces isn’t just robotic precision but also a culture of genuinely warm hospitality.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
On view through March 29, the exhibition traces Lynch’s lifelong dialogue between material experimentation and subconscious imagery, including a series of photographs taken in Berlin in 1999.—
Melinda Sheckells,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Visualization primes the subconscious so bodies react automatically during competition, when fast-moving courses demand instinctive responses.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Rosalba worked in the accounting department of a mail order catalog company and later helped her husband run a mechanic shop in Granada Hills.—
Matthew Ormseth,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Approximately 55 bus driver, bus monitor and mechanic roles will be cut.—
Kathryn Muchnick,
Louisville Courier Journal,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Firefighters pulled the unconscious victim from his apartment and medics rushed him to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Queens but he could not be saved, police said.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Destiny and Shawn Jackson said the gas left their baby unconscious and foaming at the mouth, and that strangers and local law enforcement helped them while the feds stood in the way.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
After your baby is born progesterone (which inhibits breastmilk production) drops and prolactin, which controls milk volume, and oxytocin, which triggers the let-down reflex increases, explains Nadine Rosenblum, the perinatal lactation program coordinator at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.—
Hannah Silverman,
Parents,
16 Feb. 2026
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This local reflex system reduces damage, improves safety and makes interactions feel more natural.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Microfiber cloths pick up dust, hair, and bacteria much better than paper towels, and removing the toilet seat provides better access to tight crevices that tend to collect hidden grime.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
16 Feb. 2026
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The command launches a hidden PowerShell script that downloads and runs malware.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subliminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subliminal. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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