feeling
1 of 2noun
feel·ing ˈfē-liŋ 
1
a(1)
: the one of the basic physical senses of which the skin contains the chief end organs and of which the sensations of touch and temperature are characteristic : touch
(2)
: a sensation experienced through this sense
b
: generalized bodily consciousness or sensation
c
: appreciative or responsive awareness or recognition
experience a feeling of safety
2
a
: an emotional state or reaction
a kindly feeling toward the boy
b
feelings plural : susceptibility to impression : sensitivity
the remark hurt her feelings
3
a
: the undifferentiated background of one's awareness considered apart from any identifiable sensation, perception, or thought
b
: the overall quality of one's awareness
c
: conscious recognition : sense
4
a
: often unreasoned opinion or belief : sentiment
What are your feelings about this subject?
b
: presentiment
I have a feeling she's not going to like this.
5
: capacity to respond emotionally especially with the higher emotions
found out how much feeling his mother really had
6
: the character ascribed to something : atmosphere
The place had the feeling of a haunted house.
7
a
: the quality of a work of art that conveys the emotion of the artist
the feeling of the outdoors has been realized with sky-blue ceiling and natural colors 
Playthings
Playthings b
: sympathetic aesthetic response
a person of fine feeling
8
: feel sense 4
feeling
2 of 2adjective
1
a
: sentient, sensitive
b
: easily moved emotionally
2
obsolete : deeply felt
3
: expressing emotion or sensitivity
feelingly
ˈfē-liŋ-lē
adverb feelingness noun
Synonyms
Noun
- chord
- emotion
- passion
- sentiment
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun I noticed tingling feelings in my fingers. She had a queasy feeling in her stomach. I had the feeling of something crawling across my foot. We enjoyed the feeling of walking barefoot in the sand. He had no feeling in his right leg. He's been troubled by feelings of guilt. There's no point in trying to hide your feelings. He spoke with feeling about the injustice he had seen. Have you no feeling for the plight of the homeless? I can see that you have strong feelings about this subject. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Patrick Smith, NBC News, 15 Sep. 2022 Her guitar’s prowess, passion and temperament is reminiscent of axe-slinging legend Jeff Beck at his most incendiary and feeling-filled. A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 14 Sep. 2022 Maybe my Marni skepticism is fueled by a feeling that female designers are the stars of this week, driving all the ideas forward. Rachel Tashjian, Harper's BAZAAR, 14 Sep. 2022 This combination of gospel feeling with classical technique was seen throughout Lewis’ career. Aaron Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 13 Sep. 2022 Plus, the conditioner nourishes hair, leaving a silky smooth feeling behind post-shower. Cristina Montemayor, Men's Health, 13 Sep. 2022 In interviews, students described feeling left in the dark for much of the lengthy investigation on behalf of the university. Darcy Costello, Baltimore Sun, 12 Sep. 2022 And don't spend one second feeling guilty about it! Nicol Natale, Woman's Day, 12 Sep. 2022 The early deference to quiet diplomacy gave way to a sense of impatience, and even a feeling of betrayal. Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2022 See More
Noun
The event was reminiscent of the London Olympics in 2012, when the city was overwhelmed by a feeling of togetherness. Patrick Smith, NBC News, 15 Sep. 2022 Her guitar’s prowess, passion and temperament is reminiscent of axe-slinging legend Jeff Beck at his most incendiary and feeling-filled. A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 14 Sep. 2022 Maybe my Marni skepticism is fueled by a feeling that female designers are the stars of this week, driving all the ideas forward. Rachel Tashjian, Harper's BAZAAR, 14 Sep. 2022 This combination of gospel feeling with classical technique was seen throughout Lewis’ career. Aaron Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 13 Sep. 2022 Plus, the conditioner nourishes hair, leaving a silky smooth feeling behind post-shower. Cristina Montemayor, Men's Health, 13 Sep. 2022 In interviews, students described feeling left in the dark for much of the lengthy investigation on behalf of the university. Darcy Costello, Baltimore Sun, 12 Sep. 2022 And don't spend one second feeling guilty about it! Nicol Natale, Woman's Day, 12 Sep. 2022 The early deference to quiet diplomacy gave way to a sense of impatience, and even a feeling of betrayal. Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
Noun
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing feeling
Kids Definition
feeling
noun
feel·ing ˈfē-liŋ
1
: the sense by which a person knows whether things are hard or soft, hot or cold, heavy or light
2
: a sensation of temperature or pressure
a feeling of cold
a feeling of pain
3
: a state of mind
a feeling of joy
4
feelings plural : the state of a person's emotions
… she did not want her father's feelings hurt. Beverly Cleary, Ramona Quimby, Age 8
Beverly Cleary, Ramona Quimby, Age 85
: an opinion, belief, or expectation
I have the feeling we've met before.
Medical Definition
feeling
noun
feel·ing ˈfē-liŋ
1
a
: the capacity or ability to experience physical sensations (such as pain, touch, or temperature) that is mediated chiefly by end organs and sensory receptors in the skin
b
: a sensation experienced through this capacity
2
: an emotional state or reaction
guilt feelings
3
: the overall quality of one's awareness especially as measured along a pleasantness-unpleasantness continuum
feeling 1 of 3
noun
1
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
- emotion
- sense
- chord
- impression
- sentiment
- sensation
- attitude
- perception
- passion
- mind
- belief
- opinion
- perspective
- viewpoint
- conviction
- responsiveness
- notion
- sensitivity
- standpoint
- view
- outlook
- sensibility
- judgment
- angle
- receptivity
- sensitiveness
- verdict
- judgement
- receptiveness
- persuasion
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- insensitivity
- insensitiveness
- unfeelingness
2
as in passions
feelings plural general emotional condition a remark that thoughtlessly hurt her feelings Synonyms & Similar Words
- passions
- mood
- spirit
- sensibilities
- mode
- temper
- humor
- cheer
- frame
- heartstrings
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- belief
- opinion
- mind
- view
- impression
- attitude
- conviction
- sentiment
- notion
- perception
- thought
- idea
- judgment
- verdict
- say
- judgement
- eye
- guess
- persuasion
- observation
- assumption
- comment
- decision
- concept
- reflection
- advice
- esteem
- presumption
- faith
- suggestion
- hunch
- estimate
- determination
- viewpoint
- take
- theory
- stand
- conception
- perspective
- estimation
- deliverance
- position
- remark
- conclusion
- stance
- conjecture
- hypothesis
- recommendation
- credit
- input
- standpoint
- presupposition
- outlook
- surmise
- angle
- credence
- shoes
- slant
- obiter dictum
- counterview
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- fact
- truth
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- feel
- sense
- sensation
- impression
- perception
- touch
- suggestion
- hint
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- sympathy
- compassion
- empathy
- regret
- commiseration
- pity
- understanding
- sensitivity
- kindness
- affinity
- generosity
- humanity
- mercy
- rapport
- ruth
- humaneness
- condolence
- magnanimity
- goodwill
- altruism
- benevolence
- kindliness
- kindheartedness
- warmheartedness
- humanitarianism
- softheartedness
- benignity
- largesse
- largess
- philanthropy
- largeheartedness
- bigheartedness
- charity
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- indifference
- callousness
- heartlessness
- unconcern
- hatred
- insensitivity
- hostility
- cruelty
- animosity
- coldheartedness
- dislike
- harshness
- inhumanity
- antipathy
- hard-heartedness
6
as in feelings
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- sympathy
- feelings
- kindness
- heart
- compassion
- pity
- sensitivity
- humanity
- generosity
- commiseration
- mercy
- ruth
- responsiveness
- love
- kindliness
- sensibility
- kindheartedness
- warmheartedness
- empathy
- largeheartedness
- good-heartedness
- softheartedness
- affection
- bigheartedness
- regard
- charity
- affinity
- rapport
- humanism
- altruism
- goodwill
- humaneness
- benevolence
- humanitarianism
- philanthropy
- benignity
- benignancy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- indifference
- coldness
- inhumanity
- disinterest
- unconcern
- mercilessness
- pitilessness
- hatred
- callousness
- cruelty
- animosity
- coldheartedness
- hostility
- dislike
- harshness
- inhumanness
- antipathy
- hard-heartedness
feeling
2 of 3adjective
as in loving
Synonyms & Similar Words
- loving
- intense
- warm
- emotional
- passionate
- soulful
- affectionate
- sentimental
- uninhibited
- sensitive
- gushy
- effusive
- touchy-feely
- demonstrative
- gushing
- melodramatic
- dramatic
- unrestrained
- unreserved
- mushy
- maudlin
- theatrical
- histrionic
- communicative
- mawkish
- schmaltzy
- expansive
- theatric
- frank
- outgoing
- hyperemotional
- extroverted
- outspoken
- extraverted
- blunt
- candid
- plain
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- constrained
- quiet
- silent
- indifferent
- reticent
- bashful
- cold
- shy
- modest
- detached
- retiring
- introverted
- unconcerned
- unfeeling
- aloof
- chilly
- dispassionate
- phlegmatic
- taciturn
- emotionless
- stolid
- icy
- restrained
- impassive
- unfriendly
- glacial
- inhibited
- frigid
- unemotional
- reserved
- undemonstrative
- self-directed
- hard-edged
- hard-hearted
- hard-boiled
feeling
3 of 3verb
1
as in sensing
to have a vague awareness of I feel trouble brewing in the town Synonyms & Similar Words
- sensing
- seeing
- smelling
- noticing
- hearing
- perceiving
- tasting
- realizing
- expecting
- anticipating
- learning
- discovering
- noting
- guessing
- remarking
- suspecting
- witnessing
- scenting
- viewing
- beholding
- observing
- discerning
- spying
- foreseeing
- ascertaining
- regarding
- assuming
- sighting
- supposing
- espying
- speculating
- distinguishing
- eyeing
- finding out
- descrying
- presuming
- surmising
- eying
- conjecturing
- looking (at)
- divining
- foreknowing
- catching on (to)
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- touching
- caressing
- embracing
- grasping
- hugging
- kissing
- rubbing
- holding
- gripping
- stroking
- clenching
- nudging
- fingering
- palpating
- brushing
- fondling
- pawing
- palping
- clasping
- knocking
- nuzzling
- tapping
- clutching
- handling
- patting
- clapping
- hitting
- grazing
- lipping
- shaving
- tipping
- pounding
- flicking
- skimming
- nosing
- whacking
- palming
- dabbing
- tagging
- rapping
- chucking
- clinging (to)
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- experiencing
- having
- enduring
- knowing
- seeing
- undergoing
- suffering
- witnessing
- tasting
- sustaining
- receiving
- passing
- encountering
- going through
- meeting
- accepting
- digesting
- assimilating
4
as in thinking
to have as an opinion I just feel that we haven't explored all of our options for raising funds Synonyms & Similar Words
- thinking
- believing
- guessing
- imagining
- considering
- figuring
- supposing
- perceiving
- judging
- deeming
- holding
- conceiving
- assuming
- reckoning
- viewing
- regarding
- allowing
- esteeming
- accepting
- depending
- trusting
- relying
- presuming
- inferring
- concluding
- presupposing
- surmising
- deducing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- doubting
- questioning
- suspecting
- distrusting
- mistrusting
- rejecting
- disbelieving
- discrediting
5
as in fumbling
to search for something blindly or uncertainly the sudden blackout had us feeling around in the dark for a flashlight Synonyms & Similar Words
- fumbling
- looking
- reaching
- groping
- fishing
- scrabbling
- hunting
- grabbing
- getting
- capturing
- casting about
- snatching
- seizing
- clutching
- grabbling
- raking
- combing
- dredging
- rummaging
- scouring
- ransacking
- nabbing
- nailing
- rifling
- corralling
- seeking (out)
- digging (through)
6
as in seeming
to give the impression of being it felt like a good idea at the time Synonyms & Similar Words
- seeming
- looking
- sounding
- acting
- appearing
- making
- pretending
- implying
- suggesting
- recalling
- resembling
- coming off (as)
- coming across (as)
- hinting
- dissembling
- insinuating
Synonym Chooser
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
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
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
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
The meanings of sentiment and feeling largely overlap; however, sentiment often implies an emotion inspired by an idea.
her feminist sentiments are well known