sense
0 antonyms and opposites of sense, grouped by meaning.
Noun — One of the physical faculties — sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch — through which the body perceives the world.
How to use sense
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old French sens, partly from Latin sensus ("feeling, meaning," from sentiō, "to feel"), partly from a Germanic root meaning "judgment" or "direction."
Full origin of sense →Frequently asked questions
What does “sense” mean?
The word “sense” means one of the physical faculties — sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch — through which the body perceives the world. In plain terms, can mean a physical faculty (like smell), sound judgment, the meaning of a word, or the act of noticing something intuitively.
How do you pronounce “sense”?
“Sense” is pronounced sehns (/sɛns/ in IPA).
How do you use “sense” in a sentence?
Here is “sense” used in a sentence: “Dogs have a much stronger sense of smell than humans.”
What is another word for “sense”?
Words with a similar meaning to “sense” include non-nonsense.
What part of speech is “sense”?
Depending on how it is used, “sense” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “sense” come from?
The word “sense” comes from Latin. From Old French sens, partly from Latin sensus ("feeling, meaning," from sentiō, "to feel"), partly from a Germanic root meaning "judgment" or "direction.".
Is “sense” a common word?
“Sense” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “sense” have?
“Sense” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: one of the physical faculties — sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch — through which the body perceives the world.
What are the five senses?
The five traditional senses are sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Each uses specific organs — the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin — to gather information about the world and send it to the brain. Some scientists argue humans have more senses, such as balance and the perception of temperature or pain.
Is there really a sixth sense?
In everyday speech, a 'sixth sense' means intuition — a feeling about something without clear evidence. Scientifically, the five-sense model is a simplification: the body also detects balance, body position, temperature, and pain. So while there is no mystical sixth sense, we genuinely perceive far more than five things about the world.
What is the difference between the senses and perception?
The senses are the physical faculties — sight, hearing, and so on — that detect signals from the world. Perception is what the brain does with those signals: interpreting, organising, and making sense of them. Your eyes sense light, but perception is how you recognise a familiar face. One gathers information, the other understands it.
Can you lose a sense?
Yes. Illness, injury, or ageing can weaken or remove a sense — for example, blindness affects sight and deafness affects hearing. When one sense is lost, the others often sharpen to compensate. Some senses, such as smell, can also fade temporarily through infection and later return once the person recovers.