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
As a child raised amid war and displacement, uncertainty and subliminal anxiety felt natural to me.
—
Mehrnoush Soroush, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
An imperfect but useful analogy might be subliminal messaging, but for AI.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 26 Feb. 2026
Beliefs and routines tug at one another as the subliminal Moon in your 9th House of Expansion squares companionable Venus in your 6th House of Work.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2026
The subliminal message between the two cover shots didn’t go unnoticed.
—Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subliminal
Mehrnoush Soroush, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
An imperfect but useful analogy might be subliminal messaging, but for AI.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 26 Feb. 2026
Beliefs and routines tug at one another as the subliminal Moon in your 9th House of Expansion squares companionable Venus in your 6th House of Work.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2026
The subliminal message between the two cover shots didn’t go unnoticed.
—Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subliminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subliminal
Adjective
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The actor, 39, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of simple battery in a Louisiana criminal court Wednesday, June 3, according to records obtained by USA TODAY.—
Liza Esquibias,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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At the time, the New Orleans Police Department confirmed its officers charged LaBeouf with two counts of simple battery for allegedly assaulting two men near a bar in the French Quarter.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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Driving through deep water can also negatively affect a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 June 2026
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Upstairs, the 2,940-square-foot western bar Big Shots features line dancing, beer and a mechanical bull.—
Olivia Wakim,
AJC.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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Blue Origin is gearing up to send a robotic prototype of the vehicle, called Blue Moon Mark 1, to the lunar surface later this year, to demonstrate the vehicle’s capabilities.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
29 May 2026
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Three days ago, Blue Origin also won a major contract to carry two robotic landers to the moon for NASA on missions scheduled to launch later this year.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Last but not least, once the full moon peaks in Capricorn, your subconscious demands take precedence, as this lunation calls for rest, reflection and privacy.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
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The centrality of images to intuitive, subconscious methods of understanding came to be seen as particularly feminine.—
Eliza Goodpasture,
ARTnews.com,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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The top job on the list is car technician and mechanic, with a median hourly wage of almost $24.—
Sophie Caldwell,
CNBC,
2 June 2026
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The van then moved from the Otay Mesa store to a spot on the street near a mechanic shop on Coolidge Avenue in National City.—
Alexandra Mendoza,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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The girl — identified in the affidavit as 18-year-old Paige Mahone — was found breathing but unconscious on the passenger floor, below the glovebox, according to the affidavit.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
8 June 2026
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The caller said family members had found the elderly woman, identified as Kun-Ying Yang, unconscious in her apartment.—
Jazmin Alvarado,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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Wyle listened to the two women’s breathing and administered a reflex test on their knees.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
8 May 2026
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That reflex delays care and erodes trust.—
Liz Koch,
STAT,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But some of the doctors and other practitioners — including those who don’t have any kind of healthcare license — may be exposing patients to enormous debt and hidden risks, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation found.—
Carrie Teegardin,
AJC.com,
8 June 2026
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There are no hidden layers of meaning, however, in Erika Burke Rossa’s straightforward, sweet-natured family film.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subliminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subliminal. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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