sensation
Americannoun
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the operation or function of the senses; perception or awareness of stimuli through the senses.
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a mental condition or physical feeling resulting from stimulation of a sense organ or from internal bodily change, as cold or pain.
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Physiology. the faculty of perception of stimuli.
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a general feeling not directly attributable to any given stimulus, as discomfort, anxiety, or doubt.
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a mental feeling, especially a state of excited feeling.
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a state of excited feeling or interest caused among a number of persons or throughout a community, as by some rumor or occurrence.
- Synonyms:
- perturbation, commotion, agitation, animation, stimulation, excitement
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a cause of such feeling or interest.
The new Brazilian movie was the sensation of the film festival.
noun
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the power of perceiving through the senses
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a physical condition or experience resulting from the stimulation of one of the sense organs
a sensation of warmth
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a general feeling or awareness
a sensation of fear
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a state of widespread public excitement
his announcement caused a sensation
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anything that causes such a state
your speech was a sensation
Synonym Usage
See sense.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sensation
First recorded in 1605–15; from Medieval Latin sēnsātiōn- (stem of sēnsātiō ), equivalent to Late Latin sēnsāt(us) sensate + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A sensation is a type of feeling, picked up by one of the five senses. Peppercorns will give you the sensation of a million tiny pinpricks on your tongue. A sensation is something from your senses. If you lose sensation in your feet, they are numb and it's time for you to get up and move around to restore blood flow. You can call something a sensation if it is wonderful and astonishing. Your parents will tell you that you were a sensation in the school play. Everyone will want to go see the special-effects movie that critics are calling a worldwide sensation.
Vocabulary lists containing sensation
Wonder Woman's Superpower Words
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Common Senses: Sent, Sens ("Feel")
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The Cay
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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.
See Examples For:
She has retained her regal hauteur and formidable sang froid, the same qualities that made her such a sensation on the British stage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
The singer rose to fame in 2022 when his song "Romantic Homicide" became a viral sensation on TikTok.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Singing sensation Cher will be forced to pay the $1 million in legal fees that she incurred during a bitter legal battle against ex-husband Sonny Bono’s widow, Mary Bono, a judge has ruled.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
The 29-year-old described the sensation as a constant pressure and bubbling, "almost like you have a balloon in your stomach".
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
The sensation came quietly at first, a low hum, like something rumbling just beneath his feet.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
For me, I’m a bit autistic; sometimes when I’m at a show, I get different sensations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
As Maxine, an American director who’s traveled to Paris to complete a short film that will play before a high-concept fashion show in the coming days, Jolie elegantly moves between these two sensations.
From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026
A pair of acclaimed soccer sensations pour it on in back-to-back victories.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Unlike many other breast cancers, she said symptoms could include itching, tingling, pulling sensations, dimpling or changes to the skin rather than a distinct lump.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
The girls complained of backache from bed-making, and fiery sensations in their feet from standing all day.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
