sense 1 of 2

noun

ˈsen(t)s How to pronounce sense (audio)
Definition of sensenext
1
as in feeling
an indefinite physical response to a stimulus a strange sense of discomfort brought on by the room's strong colors

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2
as in intellect
the ability to learn and understand or to deal with problems although he has little formal education, he is a man of considerable practical sense

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3
as in prudence
the ability to make intelligent decisions especially in everyday matters you have the sense to handle anything that comes up

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4
as in meaning
the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action got the general sense of the poem

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5
as in reasoning
the thought processes that have been established as leading to valid solutions to problems your argument simply shows no sense

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sense

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to feel
to have a vague awareness of the deer seemed to sense danger

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2
as in to understand
to have a clear idea of I did not sense the full meaning of his cryptic warning until much later

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun sense contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sense are common sense, judgment, and wisdom. While all these words mean "ability to reach intelligent conclusions," sense implies a reliable ability to judge and decide with soundness, prudence, and intelligence.

a choice showing good sense

Where would common sense be a reasonable alternative to sense?

The words common sense and sense can be used in similar contexts, but common sense suggests an average degree of such ability without sophistication or special knowledge.

common sense tells me it's wrong

When would judgment be a good substitute for sense?

Although the words judgment and sense have much in common, judgment implies sense tempered and refined by experience, training, and maturity.

they relied on her judgment for guidance

In what contexts can wisdom take the place of sense?

In some situations, the words wisdom and sense are roughly equivalent. However, wisdom implies sense and judgment far above average.

a leader of rare wisdom

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 sense
Noun
Listen to this article Junior forward Rob McGowan has a sense of the Washington Township boys basketball team’s history. —Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025 Hamas announced their names on Friday morning, projecting a sense of business as usual. —Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
But my wife, a native Californian, sensed something more innately — some primal signal in her neurons screaming: Danger. —Josh Eells, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2025 To sense his shyness was to feel the intimacy of discovery, of seeing a different version of a person, suddenly known only to you. —Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sense
  1. feeling
  2. intellect
  3. prudence
  4. meaning
  5. reasoning
  6. feel
  7. understand
  8. sensation
Noun
  • There are clamps that pinch the nipples with different amounts of strength, from a light touch to a tight grip, for a constant feeling of pressure that can feel nice.
    — Malia Griggs, Glamour, 24 Feb. 2025
  • The luxurious pieces of the hotel contribute to that feeling of wealth and status.
    — Jim Halterman, IndieWire, 24 Feb. 2025
Definition of feeling
Noun
  • And certainly, in the playoffs in the end of the year, Jayden Daniels sitting in the pocket, beating pressure, so much of that again with his poise and intellect and accuracy with his arm, and again, just really, really rare to see that.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Feb. 2025
  • While all of this is going on, Rowan, trapped in the Victrola (which Julien has staged like a Victorian pub, for some reason), is just blowing through lore exposition thanks to her suddenly unencumbered intellect.
    — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 2 Feb. 2025
Definition of intellect
Noun
  • Looking Ahead Like previous iterations, this year’s letter highlighted Berkshire’s ability to adapt to changing economic conditions while sticking to its core principles of value investing and financial prudence.
    — Garth Friesen, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Lamont is expected to call for Connecticut to maintain its fiscal prudence balanced with strategic investments in various programs.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 2 Feb. 2025
Definition of prudence
Noun
  • In an episode of Variety’s Behind the Song, McRae opened up about her creative process, the meaning behind the song’s sultry lyrics, and explained why there wasn’t an actual sports car in the music video.
    — Tiana DeNicola, Variety, 20 Feb. 2025
  • The dual meaning of the phrase (one-off vs. one off) seemed like a fun mathematical twist for some self-referential clues.
    — Deb Amlen, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
Definition of meaning
Noun
  • Nuno Espirito Santo explained his reasoning clearly to Anderson, who understood what the club were attempting to do.
    — Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
  • OpenAI’s newer reasoning models, o1 (a more powerful model, released months after o1-preview) and o3-mini did not hack at all, which suggests those guardrails may have been tightened further.
    — Harry Booth, TIME, 19 Feb. 2025
Definition of reasoning
Verb
  • Technology advances rapidly, industries seem to shift overnight, and people, especially leaders, feel the pressure to keep up.
    — Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Staying on theme for this season’s location in Thailand, Leisure Projects has an array of cozy garments, like this lace shirt, that feels appropriate without venturing into costume territory.
    — Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Definition of feel
Verb
  • But at the same time, sharing a bit about life outside of the sport helps the rest of the world and fans of the sport understand you.
    — Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 23 Feb. 2025
  • There are two ways to do that - understand the historical odds and position yourself prior to the event, or look at the correlation between immediate return and medium-term return post earnings and position yourself accordingly post-event.
    — Trefis Team, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
Definition of understand
Noun
  • The sophomore sensation increased his 3-point frequency while also becoming more efficient, a combination usually reserved for veteran players entering their prime.
    — Shane Young, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
  • The case become a national sensation around 2014, quickly becoming one of the most bizarre cases in true crime history.
    — Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025
Definition of sensation

Phrases Containing sense

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Cite this Entry

“Sense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sense. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sense

Nglish: Translation of sense for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sense

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