feeling 1 of 3

noun

ˈfē-liŋ How to pronounce feeling (audio)
Definition of feelingnext
1
as in emotion
a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation an overall feeling of happiness about their new home

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in passions
feelings plural general emotional condition a remark that thoughtlessly hurt her feelings

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3
as in belief
an idea that is believed to be true or valid without positive knowledge an interesting think piece in which the congresswoman expressed her feelings about our nation's most pressing problems

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in feel
an indefinite physical response to a stimulus that odd feeling of forward movement you get when the parked car next to you backs out

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5
as in sympathy
sorrow or the capacity to feel sorrow for another's suffering or misfortune a rich person without much feeling for those who are less fortunate

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in kindness
the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune a woman of great feeling, the princess wanted to use her status and influence to help the needy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

feeling

2 of 3

adjective

as in loving

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

feeling

3 of 3

verb

present participle of feel
1
as in sensing
to have a vague awareness of I feel trouble brewing in the town

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2
as in touching
to come into bodily contact with (something) so as to perceive a slight pressure on the skin feel this blanket and perceive how soft it is

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3
as in experiencing
to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it with the birth of their first child the couple came to feel true happiness for the first time

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4
as in thinking
to have as an opinion I just feel that we haven't explored all of our options for raising funds

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in fumbling
to search for something blindly or uncertainly the sudden blackout had us feeling around in the dark for a flashlight

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6
as in seeming
to give the impression of being it felt like a good idea at the time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word feeling distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of feeling are affection, emotion, passion, and sentiment. While all these words 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

When can affection be used instead of feeling?

The words affection and feeling can be used in similar contexts, 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?

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 passion be used to replace feeling?

The words passion and feeling are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, passion suggests a very powerful or controlling emotion.

revenge became his ruling passion

When might sentiment be a better fit than feeling?

The meanings of sentiment and feeling largely overlap; however, sentiment often implies an emotion inspired by an idea.

her feminist sentiments are well known

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 feeling
Noun
People often describe feeling lightheaded or hungover. —Morayo Ogunbayo, AJC.com, 13 Feb. 2026 Arguably, in the age of social media, more people have experienced this feeling than ever before. —Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
Koutouvides, now 44, will watch this one at home in Fairfield with his three sons, all of whom play football, and be able to share just what the players are feeling, experiencing. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026 Jones sang with pathos, feeling every word. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for feeling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for feeling
  1. emotion
  2. passions
  3. belief
  4. feel
  5. sympathy
  6. kindness
  7. loving
  8. sensing
Noun
  • Mostly, however, Gee’s sophisticated, stealthily moving film folds any bursts of emotion into its exquisitely dark shadows, letting Evans’ limpid but heartsore music do most of the weeping.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Throughout, emotion churns and chafes against a backdrop of political unrest, corporate malfeasance, and the everyday horrors that erode modern life.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of emotion
Noun
  • Well, ballet and Belgian suds are both passions of Dan Guin, the dance company’s executive/co-artistic director.
    — Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
  • The year 2024 marked the last trading year before Anderson took on the big job at Dior in June 2025 and repositioned his namesake label the following month as a platform to showcase his love for heritage, craft and his personal passions.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 3 Feb. 2026
Definition of passions
Noun
  • However, since folklore is integral to Irish culture, these beliefs, customs, and stories are protected under Ireland’s heritage legislation through UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention (2015).
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Their releases come as the government of acting President Delcy Rodríguez faces mounting pressure to free hundreds of people whose detentions months or years ago have been linked to their political beliefs.
    — Regina Garcia Cano, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of belief
Noun
  • The song is widely seen as a protest against the displacement of communities and the privatization of natural resources – issues that younger generations on the island feel are also happening in Puerto Rico.
    — Rocio Munoz, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
  • The subtropical feel allows for plenty of golf, walks on the beach, fishing, gardening, boating, and hiking, all of which are hobbies beloved by many retirees.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of feel
Noun
  • There should be empathy for his injury, but no sympathy for his lack of production.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Remittances and family communication mostly reinforce existing, mutual partisan sympathies rather than swing votes.
    — Michael Paarlberg, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026
Definition of sympathy
Noun
  • Values of inclusivity, values of diversity and kindness.
    — Kevin Baxter Los Angeles Times, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
  • However, to date, the relationship has been the best, as it has been adorned with love, kindness, joy and fulfillment.
    — Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of kindness
Adjective
  • At a time of widespread fear and distrust in the United States, Bad Bunny offered a loving and optimistic vision of the American experience during his halftime show at Sunday’s Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
    — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings issued an emotional plea on Instagram for their mom's return, citing her spunk, her loving personality and her vulnerability.
    — Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Definition of loving
Verb
  • By embedding this sensing capability directly into a robot’s skin, this new system allows machines to respond locally and instantly to physical threats.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Feb. 2026
  • The horse, not sensing any guidance on its ribcage, begins to move skittishly in tight, concentric circles.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of sensing

Browse Nearby Words

feel-good
feeling
feeling (for)
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Cite this Entry

“Feeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feeling. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on feeling

Nglish: Translation of feeling for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about feeling

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