sense
HighNeutral to formal. The noun is used in all registers; the verb is more common in formal or written contexts.
Definition
Meaning
The ability to perceive and understand something; a faculty by which the body perceives an external stimulus such as sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch; a feeling or awareness about something; a rational or comprehensible meaning.
A conscious awareness or impression; the ability to think or act reasonably and practically; the meaning or interpretation of a word, phrase, or situation; a discernible purpose or logic.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Sense" as a noun encompasses both physiological perception and abstract meaning/intuition. As a verb, it means to detect or become aware of something, often intuitively. Can denote one of five specific bodily faculties.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal lexical difference. The noun 'sense' is used identically. The verb is equally common in both varieties.
Connotations
In British English, 'common sense' might be slightly more frequent in didactic contexts. In both, 'sense' can imply practicality or reasonableness.
Frequency
Extremely high and nearly identical frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
sense (that) + clausesense something (in/on/around etc.)sense + NPmake sense (of something)have the sense to do somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Make sense of”
- “Take leave of one's senses”
- “Come to one's senses”
- “In every sense of the word”
- “A sense of occasion”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referring to market sense, business sense (acumen), or making sense of data.
Academic
Used in discussing semantics (word sense), sense perception in philosophy, or making sense of complex theories.
Everyday
Commonly used for bodily senses, common sense, and the phrase 'that makes sense.'
Technical
In computing: word sense disambiguation; in biology: sensory organs; in electronics: sensor.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She could sense the tension in the room immediately.
- The device senses motion and turns on the light.
- I sense we are not welcome here.
American English
- He sensed an opportunity in the market downturn.
- The alarm senses smoke and heat.
- I could sense that she was about to say something important.
adverb
British English
- He looked at her sensibly, knowing the risks.
- She sensibly decided to take an umbrella.
American English
- He sensibly invested the money in a savings account.
- Let's approach this problem sensibly.
adjective
British English
- This is a rare, sense-forcing move in chess.
- The debate lacked any sense-making argument.
American English
- The article provided a much-needed sense-making framework.
- It was a senseless act of violence.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Dogs have a good sense of smell.
- This sentence does not make sense.
- I have five senses.
- She had a strange sense that someone was watching her.
- He lost all sense of time while reading.
- It makes sense to save money for the future.
- A keen sense of observation is crucial for a detective.
- The word 'set' has many different senses in the dictionary.
- She sensed his disapproval despite his polite words.
- The author's sense of irony pervades the entire novel.
- He possessed an uncanny sense of market trends, which made him a successful investor.
- One must sense the subtle nuances in diplomatic language.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the 'five SENSES': Sight, hEaring, smell, taste, touch. All start with different letters, but all are SENSeS.
Conceptual Metaphor
UNDERSTANDING IS GRASPING ("I can't grasp the sense of it") / SENSES ARE TOOLS FOR NAVIGATION ("lost my sense of direction").
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'sense' as 'смысл' in contexts like 'sense of smell' (use 'чувство' or 'обоняние').
- The phrase 'make sense' is an idiom; a direct translation 'делать смысл' is incorrect. Use 'иметь смысл'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'sense' as a verb without an object (e.g., 'I sense' is fine, but 'I sense about it' is wrong).
- Confusing 'sense' with 'since' in writing.
- Using 'common sense' as an adjective (e.g., 'He is very common sense' - correct: 'He has a lot of common sense').
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'He has no sense of direction,' what is the primary meaning of 'sense'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is both. It is countable when referring to specific meanings or faculties (e.g., 'The word has three senses', 'the five senses'). It is uncountable when referring to general reason or awareness (e.g., 'There's no sense in waiting', 'a sense of pride').
As verbs, 'sense' often implies an intuitive or indirect perception ('I sense trouble'), while 'feel' is more direct and physical or emotional ('I feel pain', 'I feel happy'). As nouns, 'feel' is more about texture or subjective impression, while 'sense' is broader (meaning, faculty, reason).
Yes, but it's less common. It is used when emphasizing the ongoing process of becoming aware (e.g., 'I am sensing a lot of hostility in this meeting'). The simple present is more frequent ('I sense hostility').
It is a phrase used to indicate that a statement is partly true, or true from one particular point of view. It is similar to 'in a way' or 'to some extent'. Example: 'In a sense, all language is metaphorical.'