feeling
A1 (Extremely High)Neutral - used in all registers from informal conversation to formal writing.
Definition
Meaning
An emotional state or reaction; a sensation perceived through the senses or the mind.
1. An intuitive understanding or impression; a belief not based on reason. 2. The capacity to experience emotion or physical sensation; sensitivity. 3. The general atmosphere or sentiment of something (e.g., a place, situation). 4. Sympathy or affection for someone.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Feeling" can refer to both an emotional state (happiness, sadness) and a physical sensation (cold, pain). It often implies subjectivity and personal experience. The plural "feelings" often refers specifically to emotional sensitivities or romantic affection.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. In British English, "I've got a feeling..." is slightly more common in casual speech than the American "I have a feeling...". The idiom "hard feelings" (resentment) is equally common in both, though BrE might slightly favour "no offence meant" in formal contexts.
Connotations
Largely identical. In both, the word carries strong connotations of subjectivity and personal truth.
Frequency
Equally high-frequency in both varieties. No significant difference.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have a feeling (that)...get the feeling (that)...a feeling of [noun] (e.g., dread, joy)a feeling for [something] (e.g., music, language)feelings towards/about someoneVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No hard feelings”
- “A feeling in one's bones”
- “Bad/ill feelings”
- “Hurt someone's feelings”
- “Get the feeling”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to discuss workplace atmosphere, employee morale, or intuitive market predictions (e.g., 'I have a feeling this merger will succeed').
Academic
Used cautiously, often in psychology, sociology, or arts to denote subjective experience or affective states. Often qualified (e.g., 'reported feelings of anxiety').
Everyday
Ubiquitous for discussing emotions, physical states, and opinions (e.g., 'What's your feeling on the new policy?', 'I have a funny feeling about this.').
Technical
In medical contexts, refers to physical sensation or its loss (e.g., 'loss of feeling in the extremities'). In psychology, a core term for affective phenomena.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He was feeling poorly, so he stayed in.
- Are you feeling up to going out tonight?
American English
- I'm feeling kind of sick.
- We were feeling pretty optimistic about the plan.
adverb
British English
- She spoke feelingly about her childhood experiences.
- He argued his case feelingly and with conviction.
American English
- The actor delivered the monologue feelingly.
- She expressed her gratitude feelingly.
adjective
British English
- She's a very feeling person, always empathetic.
- It was a feeling tribute to the late artist.
American English
- He gave her a feeling look across the room.
- The director is known for his feeling portrayal of characters.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I have a good feeling about today.
- What feeling do you have when you see a rainbow?
- My hands lost feeling in the cold.
- I got the feeling she wasn't telling the truth.
- He explained his feelings about the new school rules.
- There's a feeling of excitement in the air before the concert.
- Despite their argument, they parted with no hard feelings.
- Her performance conveyed a profound feeling of loneliness.
- A sudden feeling of dread came over him as he entered the dark room.
- The novel evokes the ineffable feelings associated with grief and loss.
- His political analysis was informed more by feeling than by empirical data.
- The artist's work straddles the line between intellectual concept and raw feeling.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of your five senses and your heart. A 'feeling' is what you FEEL, either in your body (senses) or in your heart/mind (emotions).
Conceptual Metaphor
FEELINGS ARE FLUIDS IN A CONTAINER (e.g., 'filled with emotion', 'bursting with feeling', 'pour out one's feelings'). FEELINGS ARE PHYSICAL FORCES (e.g., 'overwhelmed by feeling', 'a wave of emotion').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating 'чувство' as 'feeling' in contexts where 'sense' is better (e.g., 'a sense of humour' is NOT 'a feeling of humour').
- The phrase 'у меня чувство, что...' maps directly to 'I have a feeling that...'.
- The plural 'feelings' often translates to 'эмоции' or specifically romantic interest, not just 'чувства' in a general sense.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'feeling' as a countable noun for general emotional capacity (e.g., 'He has a lot of feeling' is correct; 'He has a lot of feelings' means specific emotions).
- Confusing 'feel like' (want/think) with 'have a feeling' (intuition).
- Overusing 'feeling' in academic writing where 'emotion', 'affect', or 'sentiment' may be more precise.
Practice
Quiz
Which use of 'feeling' refers specifically to a physical sensation?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is both. As a general capacity or atmosphere, it's uncountable ('a lot of feeling'). For specific emotions or sensations, it's countable ('mixed feelings', 'a strange feeling').
'Feeling' is the broadest, covering both physical and emotional states. 'Emotion' is more specific, referring to distinct psychological states like joy or anger. 'Mood' is a more prolonged, less specific emotional state.
Yes, informally. 'What's your feeling on this issue?' is common. In formal writing, 'opinion', 'view', or 'belief' is preferred.
It's an idiom for an instinctive intuition, not based on logic. Use it as a noun phrase: 'My gut feeling told me not to trust him.' It's informal but widely accepted.
Collections
Part of a collection
Emotions and Feelings
A2 · 33 words · Words to describe how you feel.