FEELING Synonyms: 386 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

feeling 1 of 3

noun

ˈfē-liŋ

Definition of feeling next

as in emotion

a subjective response to a person, thing, or situation an overall feeling of happiness about their new home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in passions

feelings plural general emotional condition a remark that thoughtlessly hurt her feelings

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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

fact
truth

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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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

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

as in sensing

to have a vague awareness of I feel trouble brewing in the town

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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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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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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

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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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

May 21 – June 20 When feelings meet faith, work runs smoother. —

Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2026 The first season of the series, based on Elle Kennedy’s smutty YA romance The Deal, follows Briar University juniors Hannah and Garrett, who pretend to date before their feelings for each other get all too real. —

Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026

Verb

This results in the kitchen feeling dark and less spacious. —

Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 24 May 2026 My long, cold period of feeling relegated as a writer was over. —

Literary Hub, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for feeling

Recent Examples of Synonyms for feeling

Noun

There is also an important distinction between jealousy and envy, two emotions often used interchangeably but fundamentally different.

— Meehika Barua, Time, 29 May 2026
Over time, Strider has trained himself to separate the event from the emotion attached to it.

— Elise Devlin, New York Times, 29 May 2026

Definition of emotion

Articles Related to feeling

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Style

“Feeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feeling. Accessed 30 May. 2026.

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Synonyms of feeling

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