viewpoint

American  

[vyoo-point] / ˈvjuˌpɔɪnt /

noun

• viewpoints
  plural

1. a place affording a view of something; position of observation.

   to sketch a river from the viewpoint of a bluff.

2. an attitude of mind, or the circumstances of an individual that conduce to such an attitude.

   new marketing techniques seen from the consumer's viewpoint.

   Synonyms:

   angle, stance, position, perspective, standpoint

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viewpoint British  

/ ˈvjuːˌpɔɪnt /

noun

1. the mental attitude that determines a person's opinions or judgments; point of view

2. a place from which something can be viewed

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• viewpoints
  plural

Etymology

Origin of viewpoint

First recorded in 1855–60; alteration of point of view, modeled on standpoint

Explanation

Your viewpoint is the particular way you see the world, or your distinct perspective on things. It’s literally your point of view! To stop arguing with someone, try to see things from their viewpoint so you can kiss and make up. Use viewpoint to talk about a person's individual attitude about things. A parent, for example, often has a different viewpoint about bedtime than a child does. Conflicts in politics come up due to differing viewpoints on issues like taxes, welfare, and defense. Another way to say viewpoint is "point of view." The earliest meaning of viewpoint was in the physical sense, as when you stand on the roof of a building to get a great viewpoint of the city.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

viewpoint viewpoints

But those of us on the front lines of this movement must make a clearer case for the viewpoint diversity that so many students are demanding.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

Asked by reporters about video circulating on social media that appears to show the helicopter's viewpoint in the seconds before the crash, Salazar said it is so far "probably the most important evidence" for investigators.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

From the viewpoint of a stationary observer on Earth, diffusely scattered light begins to be directed forward, toward the direction in which the sail is traveling.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026

“We take a very long-term viewpoint in the business, and we have no interest in going public or taking private investments.”

From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026

C.P. repeatedly explained the need to represent their viewpoint at the charrette, but it made no difference.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

"Whether it's your friends or your family, everybody has their own relationships with, and viewpoints on, the police," says Dearbháile McKinney, star of BBC drama Blue Lights.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

An Anthropic spokesman said the company has over 3,500 employees who hold a wide variety of viewpoints.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

“Gene Roddenberry felt that our strength was in that diversity. Not just physical and racial diversity, but diversity of viewpoints, diversity of experience and background, diversity of personal passions.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

Discussions also addressed "efforts aimed at bringing closer the viewpoints between Turkey and Israel and ensuring the current tension between the two countries are not reflected on Syria territory", the report added.

From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026

As a matter of fact, the conversation tended to be rather earnest in tone and some very interesting viewpoints were expressed.'

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro

Related Words

• angle
• aspect
• attitude
• direction
• frame of reference
• outlook
• perspective
• point of view
• posture
• slant
• stance
• standpoint
• vantage point
• view