viewpoint
Americannoun
-
viewpoints
plural
-
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
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the mental attitude that determines a person's opinions or judgments; point of view
-
a place from which something can be viewed
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
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
Yet the agency says it will enforce the cap on a “case-by-case approach” based on a review of “the Commission’s interests in localism, viewpoint diversity, and competition.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
California purchased the swath of rocky cliffs and windswept shoreline in the 1960s to expand the construction of Highway 1 and create a scenic viewpoint for highway travelers, according to a California Coastal Commission report.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
An official event meant to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, the statement added, should reflect the actual religious diversity of America, rather than a narrow theological viewpoint.
From Salon ● Jun. 1, 2026
After many years of it, I came not exactly to the same viewpoint.
From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Experts argue the FCC lacks the legal authority to punish broadcasters or reporters for their viewpoints.
From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026
A workplace, hospital, classroom, or other everyday setting might appear in a dream, but it would often be combined with unrelated places, shifting viewpoints, or unfamiliar surroundings.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
Their claims of competitive harm are as sprawling as Hollywood mogul estates, including that the deal will reduce diversity in viewpoints.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
As he reworked the novel, he said the arguments around the closure were all playing out and the characters reflected the complex viewpoints that emerged on both sides.
From BBC ● May 31, 2026
Mrs. Turner finally rose to go after being very firm about several other viewpoints of either herself, her son or her brother.
From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston
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.
