sentience
noun
sen·tience
ˈsen(t)-sh(ē-)ən(t)s 
ˈsen-tē-ən(t)s
1
: a sentient quality or state
2
: feeling or sensation as distinguished from perception and thought
Examples of sentience in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The closing twist is that some believe AI will at some point in time attain sentience and decide on its own whether to answer our questions.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
So, no sentience; the AI bots have not become self-aware.
—Reece Rogers, WIRED, 2 Oct. 2024
Well, except for those users who thought either a ghost was reaching out to them via generative AI or that maybe AI had finally reached sentience.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
If plants possess sentience, what is the morally appropriate response?
—Zoë Schlanger, The New York Review of Books, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sentience 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
So, no sentience; the AI bots have not become self-aware.
—Reece Rogers, WIRED, 2 Oct. 2024
Well, except for those users who thought either a ghost was reaching out to them via generative AI or that maybe AI had finally reached sentience.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
If plants possess sentience, what is the morally appropriate response?
—Zoë Schlanger, The New York Review of Books, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sentience
Dictionary Entries Near sentience
Cite this Entry
“Sentience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sentience. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share