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feeling

/ˈfilɪŋ/

/ˈfilɪŋ/

Other forms: feelings

A physical sensation is a feeling. When you sit on your foot so long that it falls asleep, you'll first have no feeling in it, and then you'll have a terrible "pins and needles" feeling.

An intuitive sense about something can also be called a feeling. Your bad feeling about the field trip is justified when another kid throws up on you while riding the roller coaster. A vague sense or belief can also be referred to as a feeling. In your town, there is a general feeling that the library should stay open on Sundays, but you should make up your own mind.

Definitions of feeling
  1. noun
    a physical sensation that you experience
    “he had a queasy feeling
    “I had a strange feeling in my leg”
    “he lost all feeling in his arm”
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    types:
    constriction, tightness
    a tight feeling in some part of the body
    type of:
    somaesthesia, somatesthesia, somatic sensation, somesthesia
    the perception of tactual or proprioceptive or gut sensations
  2. noun
    the sensation produced by pressure receptors in the skin
    “the surface had a greasy feeling
    synonyms: tactile sensation, tactual sensation, touch, touch sensation
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    types:
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    creepiness
    an uneasy sensation as of insects creeping on your skin
    cutaneous sensation, haptic sensation, skin sensation
    a sensation localized on the skin
    tickle
    a cutaneous sensation often resulting from light stroking
    itch, itchiness, itching
    an irritating cutaneous sensation that produces a desire to scratch
    topognosia, topognosis
    recognition of the location of a stimulus on the skin
    urtication
    a sensation of having been stung by nettles
    type of:
    perception
    the process of perceiving
  3. noun
    the experiencing of affective and emotional states
    “she had a feeling of euphoria”
    “he had terrible feelings of guilt”
    “I disliked him and the feeling was mutual”
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    types:
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    affect
    the conscious subjective aspect of feeling or emotion
    emotion
    any strong feeling
    thing
    a persistent illogical feeling of desire or aversion
    glow
    a feeling of considerable warmth
    faintness
    a feeling of faintness and of being ready to swoon
    soul, soulfulness
    deep feeling or emotion
    passion, passionateness
    a strong feeling or emotion
    sentiment
    tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion
    complex
    (psychoanalysis) a combination of emotions and impulses that have been rejected from awareness but still influence a person's behavior
    ambivalence, ambivalency
    mixed feelings or emotions
    apathy
    an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
    desire
    the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
    sex, sexual urge
    all of the feelings resulting from the urge to gratify sexual impulses
    pleasance, pleasure
    a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
    pain, painfulness
    emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid
    pang, stab, twinge
    a sudden sharp feeling
    liking
    a feeling of pleasure and enjoyment
    dislike
    a feeling of aversion or antipathy
    gratitude
    a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation
    ingratitude, ungratefulness
    a lack of gratitude
    unconcern
    a feeling of lack of concern
    shame
    a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt
    pride, pridefulness
    a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
    humbleness, humility
    a humble feeling
    amazement, astonishment
    the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
    devastation
    the feeling of being confounded or overwhelmed
    expectation
    the feeling that something is about to happen
    levity
    feeling an inappropriate lack of seriousness
    gravity, solemnity
    a solemn and dignified feeling
    sensitiveness, sensitivity
    sensitivity to emotional feelings (of self and others)
    agitation
    the feeling of being agitated; not calm
    calmness
    a feeling of calm; an absence of agitation or excitement
    bravery, fearlessness
    feeling no fear
    happiness
    emotions experienced when in a state of well-being
    sadness, unhappiness
    emotions experienced when not in a state of well-being
    hope
    the general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled
    despair
    the feeling that everything is wrong and nothing will turn out well
    affection, affectionateness, fondness, heart, philia, tenderness, warmheartedness, warmness
    a positive feeling of liking
    humor, humour, mood, temper
    a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
    fellow feeling, sympathy
    sharing the feelings of others (especially feelings of sorrow or anguish)
    enthusiasm
    a feeling of excitement
    dignity, self-regard, self-respect, self-worth
    the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect
    CER, conditioned emotion, conditioned emotional response
    an emotional response that has been acquired by conditioning
    infatuation
    a foolish and usually extravagant passion or love or admiration
    abandon, wildness
    a feeling of extreme emotional intensity
    ardor, ardour, fervency, fervidness, fervor, fervour, fire
    feelings of great warmth and intensity
    storminess
    violent passion in speech or action
    sentimentality
    extravagant or affected feeling or emotion
    razbliuto
    the sentimental feeling you have about someone you once loved but no longer do
    Oedipal complex, Oedipus complex
    a complex of males; desire to possess the mother sexually and to exclude the father; said to be a source of personality disorders if unresolved
    Electra complex
    a complex of females; sexual attraction to the father
    inferiority complex
    a sense of personal inferiority arising from conflict between the desire to be noticed and the fear of being humiliated
    conflict
    opposition between two simultaneous but incompatible feelings
    emotionlessness, impassiveness, impassivity, indifference, phlegm, stolidity, unemotionality
    apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions
    languor, lassitude, listlessness
    a feeling of lack of interest or energy
    ambition, aspiration, dream
    a cherished desire
    bloodlust
    a desire for bloodshed
    temptation
    the desire to have or do something that you know you should avoid
    craving
    an intense desire for some particular thing
    want, wish, wishing
    a specific feeling of desire
    hungriness, longing, yearning
    prolonged unfulfilled desire or need
    concupiscence, eros, physical attraction, sexual desire
    a desire for sexual intimacy
    itch, urge
    a strong restless desire
    caprice, impulse, whim
    a sudden desire
    delectation, delight
    a feeling of extreme pleasure or satisfaction
    enjoyment
    the pleasure felt when having a good time
    gusto, relish, zest, zestfulness
    vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
    pleasantness
    the feeling caused by agreeable stimuli; one pole of a continuum of states of feeling
    comfort
    a feeling of freedom from worry or disappointment
    sexual pleasure
    pleasure derived from sexual activities
    growing pains
    emotional distress arising during adolescence
    unpleasantness
    the feeling caused by disagreeable stimuli; one pole of a continuum of states of feeling
    guilt pang
    pangs of feeling guilty
    mental anguish
    sustained dull painful emotion
    hurt, suffering
    feelings of mental or physical pain
    distress, hurt, suffering
    psychological suffering
    fancy, fondness, partiality
    a predisposition to like something
    captivation, enchantment, enthrallment, fascination
    a feeling of great liking for something wonderful and unusual
    penchant, predilection, preference, taste
    a strong liking
    mysophilia
    abnormal attraction to filth
    inclination
    that toward which you are inclined to feel a liking
    friendliness
    a feeling of liking for another person; enjoyment in their company
    approval
    a feeling of liking something or someone good
    admiration, esteem
    a feeling of delighted approval and liking
    disinclination
    that toward which you are inclined to feel dislike
    Anglophobia
    dislike (or fear) of Britain and British customs
    unfriendliness
    dislike experienced as an absence of friendliness
    alienation, disaffection, estrangement
    the feeling of being alienated from other people
    antipathy, aversion, distaste
    a feeling of intense dislike
    disapproval
    a feeling of disliking something or what someone is doing
    contempt, despite, disdain, scorn
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
    disgust
    strong feelings of dislike
    creepy-crawlies
    feelings of dislike and anxiety
    scunner
    a strong dislike
    technophobia
    dislike for new technology
    appreciativeness, gratefulness, thankfulness
    warm friendly feelings of gratitude
    concern
    a feeling of sympathy for someone or something
    indifference
    unbiased impartial unconcern
    coldheartedness, hardheartedness, heartlessness
    an absence of concern for the welfare of others
    conscience
    a feeling of shame when you do something immoral
    self-disgust, self-hatred
    shame resulting from strong dislike of yourself or your actions
    embarrassment
    the shame you feel when your inadequacy or guilt is made public
    self-esteem, self-pride
    a feeling of pride in yourself
    ego, egotism, self-importance
    an inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others
    amour propre, conceit, self-love, vanity
    feelings of excessive pride
    meekness, submission
    the feeling of patient, submissive humbleness
    self-depreciation
    a feeling of being of little worth
    admiration, wonder, wonderment
    the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
    surprise
    the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
    stupefaction
    a feeling of stupefied astonishment
    anticipation, expectancy
    an expectation
    gaiety, playfulness
    a festive merry feeling
    earnestness, seriousness, sincerity
    an earnest and sincere feeling
    oversensitiveness
    sensitivity leading to easy irritation or upset
    sensibility
    refined sensitivity to pleasurable or painful impressions
    feelings
    emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)
    unrest
    a feeling of restless agitation
    fidget, fidgetiness, restlessness
    a feeling of agitation expressed in continual motion
    stewing
    an extreme state of worry and agitation
    stir
    emotional agitation and excitement
    tumult, turmoil
    violent agitation
    placidity, placidness
    a feeling of calmness; a quiet and undisturbed feeling
    coolness, imperturbability, imperturbableness
    calm and unruffled self-assurance
    quietness, quietude, tranquility, tranquillity
    a state of peace and quiet
    anger, bile, choler, ire
    anger; irritability
    fear, fearfulness, fright
    an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)
    awe, fear, reverence, veneration
    a feeling of profound respect for someone or something
    anxiety
    a vague unpleasant emotion that is experienced in anticipation of some (usually ill-defined) misfortune
    security
    freedom from anxiety or fear
    bonheur
    (French) happiness and good humor
    gladfulness, gladness, gladsomeness
    experiencing joy and pleasure
    joy, joyfulness, joyousness
    the emotion of great happiness
    gaiety, merriment
    a joyful feeling
    rejoicing
    a feeling of great happiness
    belonging
    happiness felt in a secure relationship
    blitheness, cheerfulness
    a feeling of spontaneous good spirits
    contentment
    happiness with one's situation in life
    dolefulness
    sadness caused by grief or affliction
    heaviness
    persisting sadness
    melancholy
    a feeling of thoughtful sadness
    misery
    a feeling of intense unhappiness
    desolation, forlornness, loneliness
    sadness resulting from being forsaken or abandoned
    tearfulness, weepiness
    sadness expressed by weeping
    sorrow
    an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement
    regret, rue, ruefulness, sorrow
    sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment
    cheerlessness, uncheerfulness
    a feeling of dreary or pessimistic sadness
    depression
    sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy
    dejectedness, dispiritedness, downheartedness, low-spiritedness, lowness
    a feeling of low spirits
    hopefulness
    the feeling you have when you have hope
    encouragement
    the feeling of being encouraged
    optimism
    the optimistic feeling that all is going to turn out well
    hopelessness
    the despair you feel when you have abandoned hope of comfort or success
    resignation, surrender
    acceptance of despair
    discouragement, disheartenment, dismay
    the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
    pessimism
    the feeling that things will turn out badly
    love
    a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
    attachment, fond regard
    a feeling of affection for a person or an institution
    protectiveness
    a feeling of protective affection
    regard, respect
    a feeling of friendship and esteem
    soft spot
    a sentimental affection
    hate, hatred
    the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action
    antagonism
    an actively expressed feeling of dislike and hostility
    peeve
    an annoyed or irritated mood
    sulk, sulkiness
    a mood or display of sullen aloofness or withdrawal
    amiability, good humor, good humour, good temper
    a cheerful and agreeable mood
    distemper, ill humor, ill humour
    an angry and disagreeable mood
    kind-heartedness, kindheartedness
    sympathy arising from a kind heart
    compassion, compassionateness
    a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering
    commiseration, pathos, pity, ruth
    a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
    compatibility
    a feeling of sympathetic understanding
    empathy
    understanding and entering into another's feelings
    avidity, avidness, eagerness, keenness
    a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
    exuberance
    joyful enthusiasm
    technophilia
    enthusiasm for new technology
    emotional state, spirit
    the state of a person's emotions (especially with regard to pleasure or dejection)
    type of:
    state
    the way something is with respect to its main attributes
  4. noun
    a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
    “what are your feelings about the crisis?”
    “I had a feeling that she was lying”
    synonyms: belief, impression, notion, opinion
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    types:
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    presence
    the impression that something is present
    effect
    an impression (especially one that is artificial or contrived)
    first blush
    at the first glimpse or impression
    hunch, intuition, suspicion
    an impression that something might be the case
    sound effect
    an effect that imitates a sound called for in the script of a play
    special effect
    an effect used to produce scenes that cannot be achieved by normal techniques (especially on film)
    bosom, heart
    the locus of feelings and intuitions
    type of:
    idea, thought
    the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
  5. noun
    an intuitive understanding of something
    “he had a great feeling for music”
    synonyms: intuitive feeling
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    types:
    sprachgefuhl
    an intuitive feeling for the natural idiom of a language
    type of:
    intuition
    instinctive knowing (without the use of rational processes)
  6. noun
    the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people
    synonyms: feel, flavor, flavour, look, smell, spirit, tone
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    types:
    Hollywood
    a flashy vulgar tone or atmosphere believed to be characteristic of the American film industry
    Zeitgeist
    the spirit of the time; the spirit characteristic of an age or generation
    type of:
    ambiance, ambience, atmosphere
    a particular environment or surrounding influence
Pronunciation
US

/ˈfilɪŋ/

UK

/ˈfilɪŋ/

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘feeling'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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