ambiance
Americannoun
-
the mood, character, quality, tone, atmosphere, etc., particularly of an environment or milieu.
The restaurant had a delightful ambiance.
-
that which surrounds or encompasses; environment.
Synonym Usage
See environment.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of ambiance
First recorded in 1885–95; from French, equivalent to ambi(ant) “surrounding” ( Middle French, also ambient ), from Latin; see ambient + -ance -ance
Explanation
An ambiance is the mood or setting of a place. You might like the ambiance of a certain restaurant because the lighting and decor makes you feel comfortable and happy. Ambiance is pronounced "AHM-bee-ahns." Most places have an ambiance made up of whatever sights, smells, sounds, and even sensations or textures fill the space. A fancy French restaurant gets its ambiance from the candlelight and chic black outfits worn by the wait staff while the diner off the highway might have a funky, retro ambiance because of its 1950s counter and jukebox full of golden oldies.
Vocabulary lists containing ambiance
Around and Around: Ambi
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amb, ambi
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The fight between residents and the Ambiance Owners Assn. in San Marcos began after the HOA passed a policy prohibiting any flags, signs or banners in common areas.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2026
Yurien, the daughter of Mario, an Ambiance worker who was also detained, spoke at the press conference and chose not to use her last name.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
He had worked at Ambiance for nearly five years, first stacking boxes of clothes and then later moving into shipping.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
A Homeland Security spokesperson said the agency found that 46% of the workforce of Ambiance and its related companies were working illegally in the U.S.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
A year ago, on June 6, federal agents descended on Ambiance Apparel, detaining dozens of workers in one of the largest workplace immigration enforcement actions Southern California had seen in years.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
