viewpoint
Americannoun
-
a place affording a view of something; position of observation.
to sketch a river from the viewpoint of a bluff.
-
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
noun
-
the mental attitude that determines a person's opinions or judgments; point of view
-
a place from which something can be viewed
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.
Vocabulary lists containing viewpoint
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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List 8
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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.
Much of the set’s lyrical content evokes nostalgia and longing and is written, as so much traditional roots music is, from the viewpoint of those living within the culture, including work jargon and local allusions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026
They are not easy things to get right, as there are many stakeholders with a viewpoint.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
This viewpoint can be seen by looking at the daily chart of the VanEck Semiconductor ETF.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
Holders of this viewpoint argue that regulating therapy risks governmental overreach into private belief and expression.
From Slate • Mar. 11, 2026
It aroused a lot of opposition initially because it upset the existing viewpoint: “How can a black hole emit anything?”
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
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.
