Definition of SENTIMENT (original) (raw)

: an attitude, thought, or judgment prompted by feeling : predilection

: a specific view or notion : opinion

: refined feeling : delicate sensibility especially as expressed in a work of art

: an idea colored by emotion

: the emotional significance of a passage or expression as distinguished from its verbal context

Synonyms

Choose the Right Synonym for sentiment

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 gone

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

affection applies to feelings that are also inclinations or likings.

a memoir of childhood filled with affection for her family

sentiment often implies an emotion inspired by an idea.

her feminist sentiments are well known

passion suggests a very powerful or controlling emotion.

revenge became his ruling passion

each expert seemed to have a different opinion

view suggests a subjective opinion.

very assertive in stating his views

belief implies often deliberate acceptance and intellectual assent.

a firm belief in her party's platform

conviction applies to a firmly and seriously held belief.

the conviction that animal life is as sacred as human

persuasion suggests a belief grounded on assurance (as by evidence) of its truth.

was of the persuasion that everything changes

sentiment suggests a settled opinion reflective of one's feelings.

her feminist sentiments are well-known

Examples of sentiment in a Sentence

His criticism of the court's decision expresses a sentiment that is shared by many people. an expression of antiwar sentiments She likes warmth and sentiment in a movie. You have to be tough to succeed in the business world. There's no room for sentiment.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

The sentiment surrounding the deal changed after Trump was elected. —Cecilia Kang, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2025 This sentiment rings true in the business world, where high-performing teams can give companies a significant competitive edge. —Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025 The stock market took a spill at 10 a.m. ET after the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index fell to 67.8% in February, well below estimates of 71.8 and 71.1 in January. —Jeff Marks, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2025 In Depp’s case, this was apparent on social media, where bots flooded newsfeeds with pro-Depp sentiments. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for sentiment