Feeling Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
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feeling
1 of 2noun
feel·ing ˈfē-liŋ Synonyms of feeling 1 a (1) : the one of the basic physical senses of which the skin contains the chief end organs and of which the sensations of touch and temperature are characteristic : touch (2) : a sensation experienced through this sense b : generalized bodily consciousness or sensation c : appreciative or responsive awareness or recognition experience a feeling of safety 2 a : an emotional state or reaction a kindly feeling toward the boy b feelings plural : susceptibility to impression : sensitivity the remark hurt her feelings 3 a : the undifferentiated background of one's awareness considered apart from any identifiable sensation, perception, or thought b : the overall quality of one's awareness c : conscious recognition : sense 4 a : often unreasoned opinion or belief : sentiment What are your feelings about this subject? b : presentiment I have a feeling she's not going to like this. 5 : capacity to respond emotionally especially with the higher emotions found out how much feeling his mother really had 6 : the character ascribed to something : atmosphere The place had the feeling of a haunted house. 7 a : the quality of a work of art that conveys the emotion of the artist the feeling of the outdoors has been realized with sky-blue ceiling and natural colors Playthings b : sympathetic aesthetic response a person of fine feeling 8 : feel sense 4feeling
2 of 2adjective
1 a : sentient , sensitive b : easily moved emotionally 2 obsolete : deeply felt 3 : expressing emotion or sensitivity feelingly ˈfē-liŋ-lē adverb feelingness nounSynonyms
Noun
chord emotion passion sentiment See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus Choose the Right Synonym for feeling
feeling , emotion , affection , sentiment , passion mean a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation.
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 goneemotion carries a strong implication of excitement or agitation but, like feeling , encompasses both positive and negative responses.
the drama portrays the emotions of adolescenceaffection applies to feelings that are also inclinations or likings.
a memoir of childhood filled with affection for her familysentiment often implies an emotion inspired by an idea.
her feminist sentiments are well knownpassion suggests a very powerful or controlling emotion.
revenge became his ruling passionExamples of feeling in a Sentence
Noun I noticed tingling feelings in my fingers. She had a queasy feeling in her stomach. I had the feeling of something crawling across my foot. We enjoyed the feeling of walking barefoot in the sand. He had no feeling in his right leg. He's been troubled by feelings of guilt. There's no point in trying to hide your feelings . He spoke with feeling about the injustice he had seen. Have you no feeling for the plight of the homeless? I can see that you have strong feelings about this subject. See More Recent Examples on the Web Noun Their inability to connect makes the man’s hunt ever more desperate, while her feelings remain elusive. Indiewire Staff, IndieWire , 12 Aug. 2024 Kit Harington is opening up about his feelings concerning the final season of HBO’s Game of Thrones. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter , 12 Aug. 2024 The underlying feeling in the air was, simply put, fascism. Lily Moayeri, SPIN , 12 Aug. 2024 This cycle of emotional eating and social withdrawal can create a vicious loop, exacerbating feelings of loneliness and unhappiness.8 Beyond the emotional and social implications, emotional eating frequently leads to weight gain and obesity, which can further complicate psychological issues. Kathleen Daly, Verywell Health , 12 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for feelingThese examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'feeling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known UseNoun
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler The first known use of feeling was in the 12th century See more words from the same centuryPhrases Containing feeling
a feeling of feeling sorry for myself feeling the squeeze fellow feeling good feeling ill feeling / feelings know the feeling self - feeling sense / feeling of loss sinking feeling warm feeling with feelingArticles Related to feeling
Obscure Words for Everyday Feelings
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Dictionary Entries Near feeling
feel-good
feeling
feelingful
See More Nearby EntriesCite this Entry
Style MLA Chicago APA Merriam-Webster“Feeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feeling. Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.
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feeling
1 of 2 noun feel·ing ˈfē-liŋ 1 a : a sense by which the hardness or softness, hotness or coldness, or heaviness or lightness of things is found out especially : touch entry 2 sense 3 b : a sensation experienced through this sense 2 a : a state of mind a feeling of loneliness b plural : general emotional condition : sensibilities hurt their feelings 3 : an opinion or belief often when not based on evidence a feeling that it will rain 4 : sympathy sense 3 5 : feel sense 4feeling
2 of 2 adjective : sensitive sense 2 feelingly ˈfē-liŋ-lē adverb feelingness nounMedical Definition
feeling
noun feel·ing ˈfē-liŋ 1 a : the capacity or ability to experience physical sensations (such as pain, touch, or temperature) that is mediated chiefly by end organs and sensory receptors in the skin b : a sensation experienced through this capacity 2 : an emotional state or reaction guilt feelings 3 : the overall quality of one's awareness especially as measured along a pleasantness-unpleasantness continuumMore from Merriam-Webster on feeling
Nglish: Translation of feeling for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of feeling for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about feeling
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