Feel Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 5, 2024
Feel refers to experiencing a sensation, emotion, or a certain way of perceiving something through touch or emotion. e.g., She could feel the warmth of the sun on her skin.
Table of Contents
Feel Definitions
Physical Sensation: To experience a physical sensation through touch.
He could feel the rough texture of the rope.
Emotional State: To experience or be aware of an emotion.
After the movie, she felt sad for hours.
Desire or Want: To have a desire or wish for something.
He feels like having ice cream for dessert.
Intuition: To have an intuitive sense or perception about something.
She felt that they were making the wrong decision.
Empathy: To share or understand someone else's feelings.
He feels deeply for those affected by the disaster.
Physical Condition: To experience a physical state or condition.
She felt sick after eating too much candy.
Atmosphere or Ambiance: To be conscious of the atmosphere or ambiance of a place.
You could feel the excitement in the air.
Anticipation or Expectation: To have a sense of anticipation or expectation about something.
I feel like something good is about to happen.
Physical Response: To respond physically to something, such as temperature or pain.
He felt cold even though the sun was shining.
To perceive through the sense of touch
Feel the velvety smoothness of a peach.
To perceive as a physical sensation
Feel a sharp pain.
Feel the cold.
To touch
Reached out and felt the wall.
To examine by touching
Felt the fabric for flaws.
To test or explore with caution
Feel one's way in a new job.
To undergo the experience of
Felt my interest rising.
Felt great joy.
To be aware of; sense
Felt the anger of the crowd.
To be emotionally affected by
She still feels the loss of her dog.
To be persuaded of (something) on the basis of intuition, emotion, or other indefinite grounds
I feel that what the informant says may well be true.
To believe; think
She felt his answer to be evasive.
To experience the sensation of touch.
To produce a particular sensation, especially through the sense of touch
The sheets felt smooth.
To produce a particular impression; appear to be; seem
It feels good to be home. See Usage Note at well2.
To be conscious of a specified kind or quality of physical, mental, or emotional state
Felt warm and content.
Feels strongly about the election.
To seek or explore something by the sense of touch
Felt for the light switch in the dark.
To have compassion or sympathy
I feel for him in his troubles.
Perception by touch or by sensation of the skin
A feel of autumn in the air.
The sense of touch
A surface that is rough to the feel.
An act or instance of touching or feeling
Gave the carpet a feel.
An overall impression or effect
"gives such disparate pictures ... a crazily convincing documentary feel" (Stephen King).
Intuitive awareness or natural ability
Has a feel for decorating.
(heading) To use or experience the sense of touch.
To become aware of through the skin; to use the sense of touch on.
You can feel a heartbeat if you put your fingers on your breast.
I felt cold and miserable all night.
(transitive) To find one's way (literally or figuratively) by touching or using cautious movements.
I felt my way through the darkened room.
I felt my way cautiously through the dangerous business maneuver.
(intransitive) To receive information by touch or by any neurons other than those responsible for sight, smell, taste, or hearing.
(intransitive) To search by sense of touch.
He felt for the light switch in the dark.
(heading) To sense or think emotionally or judgmentally.
(transitive) To experience an emotion or other mental state about.
I can feel the sadness in his poems.
(transitive) To think, believe, or have an impression concerning.
I feel that we need to try harder.
To experience an emotion or other mental state.
He obviously feels strongly about it.
She felt even more upset when she heard the details.
(intransitive) To sympathise; to have the sensibilities moved or affected.
I feel for you and your plight.
(transitive) To be or become aware of.
(transitive) To experience the consequences of.
Feel my wrath!
(copulative) To seem (through touch or otherwise).
It looks like wood, but it feels more like plastic.
This is supposed to be a party, but it feels more like a funeral!
To understand.
I don't want you back here, ya feel me?
(archaic) The sense of touch.
A perception experienced mainly or solely through the sense of touch.
Bark has a rough feel.
A vague mental impression.
You should get a feel for the area before moving in.
An act of fondling.
She gave me a quick feel to show that she loves me.
A vague understanding.
I'm getting a feel for what you mean.
An intuitive ability.
She has a feel for music.
A feeling; an emotion.
I know that feel.
Alternative form of fele
Alternative form of fele
Alternative form of fele
To perceive by the touch; to take cognizance of by means of the nerves of sensation distributed all over the body, especially by those of the skin; to have sensation excited by contact of (a thing) with the body or limbs.
Who feelThose rods of scorpions and those whips of steel.
To touch; to handle; to examine by touching; as, feel this piece of silk; hence, to make trial of; to test; often with out.
Come near, . . . that I may feel thee, my son.
He hath this to feel my affection to your honor.
To perceive by the mind; to have a sense of; to experience; to be affected by; to be sensible of, or sensitive to; as, to feel pleasure; to feel pain.
Teach me to feel another's woe.
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing.
He best can paint them who shall feel them most.
Mankind have felt their strength and made it felt.
To take internal cognizance of; to be conscious of; to have an inward persuasion of.
For then, and not till then, he felt himself.
To perceive; to observe.
To have perception by the touch, or by contact of anything with the nerves of sensation, especially those upon the surface of the body.
To have the sensibilities moved or affected.
[She] feels with the dignity of a Roman matron
And mine as man, who feel for all mankind.
To be conscious of an inward impression, state of mind, persuasion, physical condition, etc.; to perceive one's self to be; - followed by an adjective describing the state, etc.; as, to feel assured, grieved, persuaded.
I then did feel full sick.
To know with feeling; to be conscious; hence, to know certainly or without misgiving.
Garlands . . . which I feelI am not worthy yet to wear.
To appear to the touch; to give a perception; to produce an impression by the nerves of sensation; - followed by an adjective describing the kind of sensation.
Blind men say black feels rough, and white feels smooth.
Feeling; perception.
To intercept and have a more kindly feel of its genial warmth.
A sensation communicated by touching; impression made upon one who touches or handles; as, this leather has a greasy feel.
The difference between these two tumors will be distinguished by the feel.
An intuitive awareness;
He has a feel for animals
It's easy when you get the feel of it
The general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people;
The feel of the city excited him
A clergyman improved the tone of the meeting
It had the smell of treason
A property perceived by touch
Manual-genital stimulation for sexual pleasure;
The girls hated it when he tried to sneak a feel
Undergo an emotional sensation;
She felt resentful
He felt regret
Come to believe on the basis of emotion, intuitions, or indefinite grounds;
I feel that he doesn't like me
I find him to be obnoxious
I found the movie rather entertaining
Perceive by a physical sensation, e.g., coming from the skin or muscles;
He felt the wind
She felt an object brushing her arm
He felt his flesh crawl
She felt the heat when she got out of the car
Seem with respect to a given sensation given;
My cold is gone--I feel fine today
She felt tired after the long hike
Have a feeling or perception about oneself in reaction to someone's behavior or attitude;
She felt small and insignificant
You make me feel naked
I made the students feel different about themselves
Undergo passive experience of:
We felt the effects of inflation
Her fingers felt their way through the string quartet
She felt his contempt of her
Be felt or perceived in a certain way;
The ground feels shaky
The sheets feel soft
Grope or feel in search of something;
He felt for his wallet
Examine by touch;
Feel this soft cloth!
The customer fingered the sweater
Examine (a body part) by palpation;
The nurse palpated the patient's stomach
The runner felt her pulse
Find by testing or cautious exploration;
He felt his way around the dark room
Produce a certain impression;
It feels nice to be home again
Pass one's hands over the sexual organs of;
He felt the girl in the movie theater
Opinion or Impression: To have a particular opinion or impression about something.
I feel that this is the best solution for us.
Feel Snonyms
Discern
To recognize or identify as separate and distinct.
She could discern a note of sarcasm in his voice.
Touch
To come into contact with and perceive texture or quality.
The fabric feels soft to the touch.
Perceive
To become aware of something through the senses.
I perceive a change in your attitude.
Endure
To suffer (something painful or difficult) patiently.
She endured the hardships without complaint.
Sense
To perceive or be aware of something.
She can sense danger from miles away.
Experience
To undergo or feel something emotionally or physically.
He experienced a sense of loss.
Suffer
To experience or be subjected to (something bad or unpleasant).
He suffered intense pain.
Emote
To show or express emotions.
Actors must emote convincingly on stage.
Detect
To discover or identify the presence of.
Dogs can detect smells much better than humans.
Intuit
To understand or work out by instinct.
She intuited that something was wrong.
Feel Idioms & Phrases
Feel in one's bones
To be very sure about something even without specific evidence.
I feel in my bones that we're going to win the championship this year.
Feel the pinch
To suffer financially or economically.
Many families began to feel the pinch after the factory closure.
Feel the heat
To feel under pressure or scrutiny.
After the budget shortfall was announced, the finance department really started to feel the heat.
Feel on top of the world
To be extremely happy or elated.
After hearing the good news, she felt on top of the world.
Feel out of sorts
To feel slightly unwell or not in one's usual state of mind.
I've been feeling out of sorts since I skipped breakfast.
Feel the burn
To experience the burning sensation in muscles during intense exercise.
You'll really feel the burn with those lunges if you're doing them right.
Feel second to none
To feel superior or the best.
In terms of performance, he feels second to none.
Feel it in your gut
To have a strong intuition or gut feeling about something.
I felt it in my gut that taking that job was the right decision.
Feel the void
To experience a sense of emptiness or lack.
After his dog passed away, there was nothing that could feel the void.
Feel one's way
To proceed cautiously or by instinct when one is unsure.
In the new job, he had to feel his way for the first few weeks.
Feel the blues
To feel sad or depressed.
She's been feeling the blues ever since she moved away from home.
Feel a void
To sense a significant lack or emptiness.
Leaving his hometown made him feel a void he hadn't anticipated.
Feel the rhythm
To be in sync with the music or the atmosphere of a situation.
Once you feel the rhythm, dancing becomes much easier.
Feel under the weather
To feel ill or not well.
I'm feeling under the weather, so I think I'll stay in bed today.
Feel like a million dollars
To feel very healthy, happy, or good-looking.
After that spa day, I feel like a million dollars.
Feel the weight of the world on one's shoulders
To feel immense stress or responsibility.
With the deadlines approaching, she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Feel the squeeze
Similar to feeling the pinch, experiencing financial hardship.
Small businesses are really feeling the squeeze due to the new regulations.
Feel small
To feel insignificant or diminished, often due to someone else's words or actions.
His harsh critique made her feel small.
Feel out of place
To feel not comfortable or suitable for a particular situation or environment.
Wearing a casual outfit to the gala made him feel out of place.
Feel at home
To feel comfortable and relaxed in a new place or situation.
Everyone went out of their way to make me feel at home.
Feel Example Sentences
We could feel the tension in the room.
She didn't feel the needle during the vaccination.
I often feel hungry after school.
I feel happy when I'm with my friends.
He feels excited about the trip next week.
He felt a sense of pride in his accomplishment.
She feels strongly that animals should be protected.
I feel sorry for what happened to her.
They feel confident about the test tomorrow.
You can feel the softness of the kitten's fur.
I feel like going for a walk.
They didn't feel the earthquake because they were sleeping.
He feels nervous whenever he has to speak in public.
She feels that it's important to speak honestly.
We feel grateful for the support we've received.
Common Curiosities
Why is it called feel?
It is called feel because it refers to the act of perceiving or experiencing something through the sense of touch or emotion, originating from the Old English "fēlan," meaning to perceive through the senses.
What is a stressed syllable in feel?
The entire word feel is stressed, as it contains only one syllable.
How do we divide feel into syllables?
Since feel has only one syllable, it is not divided.
What is the verb form of feel?
The verb form is "feel."
How many syllables are in feel?
There is one syllable in feel.
What is another term for feel?
Another term for feel could be "sense" or "perceive."
What is the singular form of feel?
As a verb, feel does not have a singular or plural form. Its base form is "feel."
How is feel used in a sentence?
"I can feel the warmth of the sun on my skin."
What is the root word of feel?
The root word of feel is the Old English "fēlan."
What is the second form of feel?
The second form (simple past) is "felt."
What is the pronunciation of feel?
The pronunciation of feel is /fiːl/.
Is feel a noun or adjective?
Feel is primarily a verb, but it can also function as a noun in contexts like "the feel of something."
Is feel a countable noun?
When used as a noun, feel is generally uncountable as it refers to a general sense or experience.
Which determiner is used with feel?
Determiners are not typically used directly with verbs.
What is the first form of feel?
The first form (base form) is "feel."
Is the word “feel” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Feel" is a verb and thus does not serve as a direct or indirect object. However, it can take both direct and indirect objects, e.g., "I feel (direct object) warmth (indirect object) on my skin."
What is the third form of feel?
The third form (past participle) is "felt."
What is the plural form of feel?
As a verb, feel does not have a plural form. Verbs change form based on tense, not number.
What is the opposite of feel?
The opposite of feel could be "numbness" in the context of physical sensation, or "disregard" in an emotional context.
Is feel an abstract noun?
When used as a noun, feel can be considered an abstract noun as it refers to a sensory or emotional experience, not a physical object.
Is feel a negative or positive word?
Feel is neutral; its connotation depends on the context in which it is used.
Which article is used with feel?
Articles are not used directly with verbs like "feel." When "feel" functions as a noun, the definite article "the" or indefinite articles "a/an" may be used based on context, e.g., "the feel of silk."
What part of speech is feel?
Feel is a verb.
Is feel an adverb?
No, feel is not an adverb.
Is feel a vowel or consonant?
This question does not apply to the word "feel" as a whole; it pertains to individual letters.
Is feel a collective noun?
No, feel is not typically used as a collective noun.
Is the word feel Gerund?
The gerund form of feel is "feeling," as in "Feeling happy is important."
Which preposition is used with feel?
Common prepositions used with "feel" include "like" (to describe a comparison) or "about" (to express an opinion), depending on the context.
Is the feel term a metaphor?
Feel can be used metaphorically to describe understanding or empathy, e.g., "I feel your pain."
Is the word feel is imperative?
Yes, feel can be used in the imperative mood as a command, e.g., "Feel the texture of this fabric."
Which vowel is used before feel?
This question is not applicable. Articles "a" or "an" are considered before nouns based on the following sound; "feel" is a verb.
Which conjunction is used with feel?
Conjunctions like "and," "or," and "but" can be used with "feel" to connect clauses or items in a sentence.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
