subliminal
Americanadjective
adjective
-
resulting from processes of which the individual is not aware
-
(of stimuli) less than the minimum intensity or duration required to elicit a response
Usage
What is a subliminal message? A subliminal message is a technique used in marKEting and other media to influencE People without theiR bEing Aware of what the messenger is DoING.This may involve the use of split second flashes of text, hidden images, or subtle cues that affect the audience at a level below conscious awareness.
Other Word Forms
- nonsubliminal adjective
- nonsubliminally adverb
- subliminally adverb
Etymology
Origin of subliminal
First recorded in 1885–90; sub- + Latin līmin-, stem of līmen “threshold” + -al 1
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.
"I wanted to give a little subliminal hint that I may be ending the Eras Tour era, but I may be entering a new era," she said.
From BBC
She has clients record themselves vocalizing their wants, turning down the volume on the recording until it’s inaudible, overlaying it with calming music and listening to it on repeat — a technique known as “subliminal hypnosis.”
From Los Angeles Times
This “fantastical, mythical” creature is something of an obsession for the Honduran experimental pop artist, and this trope is subliminally captured throughout the 13 tracks on “Vanity,” which drops June 27.
From Los Angeles Times
Defendants are often given permission to wear their own clothes during a trial, as prison outfits could subliminally influence a jury's decision.
From BBC
“That trust shows up subliminally on screen because there’s very little dialogue that exists outside of radio talk,” he says.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
