Synonym Chooser

How is the word sentiment distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of sentiment are affection, emotion, feeling, and passion. While all these words mean "a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation," sentiment often implies an emotion inspired by an idea.

her feminist sentiments are well known

In what contexts can affection take the place of sentiment?

The synonyms affection and sentiment are sometimes interchangeable, but affection applies to feelings that are also inclinations or likings.

a memoir of childhood filled with affection for her family

How do emotion and feeling relate to one another, in the sense of sentiment?

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

When could feeling be used to replace sentiment?

The words feeling and sentiment are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

When can passion be used instead of sentiment?

The meanings of passion and sentiment largely overlap; however, passion suggests a very powerful or controlling emotion.

revenge became his ruling passion

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sentiment That sentiment is increasingly common among software developers, who are at the forefront of adopting A.I. agents, assistant programs tailored to help employees do their jobs in fields including customer service and manufacturing. Steve Lohr, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025 Sixth grader Emma Hunter, 12, echoed Journey’s sentiments, saying that for her it’s been comforting being around other Black students. Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2025 In the release, Asatryan emphasized the time and cost benefits the clinic will bring, a sentiment shared by Johnson. Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2025 Evercore’s Mahaney echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that Amazon’s ad revenue wouldn’t exist without its massive retail business. Paulina Likos, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sentiment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentiment
Noun
  • Leaders must recognize and validate the emotions of their staff and communities, acknowledging the human cost of a crisis rather than focusing solely on operational recovery.
    Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025
  • Survivors of Asheville’s Hurricane Helen continue to deal with shock, trauma and a roller coaster of emotions.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Even more so than in rehearsals, which were before the current administration had gone into office and before the election went south, in my opinion.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The indiscriminate firing of probationary employees in the Forest Service and other federal agencies, in my opinion, violates the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978.
    Letters to the Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Anti-Trans Laws Led Them to Flee Chop had just lost his grandmother, mother, and uncle in rapid succession, and in July 2019, was open to media personality DJ Small Eyez about how the weight of their losses and feelings of isolation after cutting people off led him toward depression and anxiety.
    Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Thoroughly understand the situation, weigh the good against the bad and decide based on facts, not feelings.
    Phil Portman, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • But optimism, the belief that things can improve, and progress is possible, can be a powerful antidote to this struggle.
    Glenn Llopis, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
  • This team looked dead and buried midway through the second half, their miserable performance having been utterly bereft of energy and belief.
    Mark Critchley, The Athletic, 22 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • As for why Mandic continues to strike a chord with Jokic beyond their friendship, though, his theory is more spiritual than physical.
    Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2025
  • Did the spiritual aspect of this Lotus season strike a chord at all?
    Charlie Campbell / Koh Samui, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American.
    Agustín Fuentes, Scientific American, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Our view is that the outsized federal budget deficits kept the economy afloat.
    Robert Barone, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Located in Donelson, TN, just outside Nashville, it’s designed to help people reconnect with joy, curiosity, and a sense of possibility.
    Amanda Miller Littlejohn, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Not much can be made of the expressions on their faces, but the contorted bodies are sketched to reveal a sense—even evoke a sound—of intermittent agony.
    Emmanuel Iduma, ARTnews.com, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The Backlight was the first piece of hers that blew my mind.
    Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2025
  • Quieting your mind stimulates the part of your brain that dampens the surges of adrenaline and cortisol accompanying stress. 3.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sentiment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentiment. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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