sentiment

noun

sen·​ti·​ment ˈsen-tə-mənt How to pronounce sentiment (audio)
1
a
: an attitude, thought, or judgment prompted by feeling : predilection
b
: a specific view or notion : opinion
2
a
b
: refined feeling : delicate sensibility especially as expressed in a work of art
c
: emotional idealism
d
: a romantic or nostalgic feeling verging on sentimentality
3
a
: an idea colored by emotion
b
: the emotional significance of a passage or expression as distinguished from its verbal context
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

opinion, view, belief, conviction, persuasion, sentiment mean a judgment one holds as true.

opinion implies a conclusion thought out yet open to dispute.

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 As market participants dialed back rate cut expectations, risk sentiment faded with crypto and bitcoin dragged to losses. Detroit Free Press, 16 Mar. 2024 Rich, who’s temporarily posted up on Dot’s property, echoes this sentiment. Jonah Gercke, SPIN, 15 Mar. 2024 Terry Bruno, was quick to echo his costar's sentiment (and to share a bit of a full circle-moment, too). Alex Ross, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024 Market sentiment is often seen as a contrarian indicator. Krystal Hur, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 Those sentiments are shared by Humphreys Concerts Vice President Bobbi Brieske, who has been with the series since 1986. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024 That is a sentiment echoed by Kateryna, 21, a lieutenant and a pilot of an Mi-8 medical evacuation helicopter. Nicole Tung, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024 Despite the strong sentiments, Martin and Smith were clear: The pool can't stay. Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 9 Mar. 2024 But eventually, those arrests and implosions improved sentiment towards cryptocurrencies — by removing some of the bad apples in the sector. David Gura, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sentiment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French or Medieval Latin; French, from Medieval Latin sentimentum, from Latin sentire

First Known Use

1639, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sentiment was in 1639

Dictionary Entries Near sentiment

Cite this Entry

“Sentiment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sentiment. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sentiment

noun
sen·​ti·​ment ˈsent-ə-mənt How to pronounce sentiment (audio)
1
a
: a thought or attitude influenced by feeling
b
: a certain notion : opinion
2
: tender feelings of affection or yearning

Medical Definition

sentiment

noun
sen·​ti·​ment ˈsent-ə-mənt How to pronounce sentiment (audio)
1
: an attitude, thought, or judgment colored or prompted by feeling or emotion
2

More from Merriam-Webster on sentiment

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