Cool MateFeel vs Sense
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Feel
Top 1,000 (very common)A1
Sense
Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun
| Feel | Sense | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/fiːl/","/fiːlz/","/felt/","/ˈfiːlɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/fiːl/","/fiːlz/","/felt/","/ˈfiːlɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/sens/"]/🇺🇸 /["/sens/"]/ |
| Meaning | To experience an emotion or physical sensation. | One of the five ways to feel things (like sight or touch). |
| Example | I can feel the soft grass under my feet. | It makes perfect sense that he would want to help his friend. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | A2 |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | deeply, strongly, really, about, for, deeply, strongly, really, about, for, deeply, strongly, really, about, for | good, great, wonderful, have, sense of, complete, perfect, good, have, display, show, sense in, have more money than sense, make little sense, (not) an ounce of sense, broad, loose, wide, have, in a sense, in every sense of the word, in a very real sense, in the true sense of the word, acute, developed, good, have, lose, heighten, tell somebody, reel, swim, organ, through the senses, the five senses, the sense of hearing, the sense of sight, deep, great, keen, experience, feel, have, sense of, a false sense of security, come to, regain, take leave of |
| Antonyms | ignore, disregard, neglect | nonsense, incomprehension |
| Common mistakes | 'Feel' is not the same as 'think' — do not use it for opinions., Do not say 'feel about' — use 'feel about something' instead., Misuse of 'feel' in the past tense; ensure proper conjugation (e.g. 'I felt'). | Confused with 'scent' when referring to smell., Using 'sense' as a verb when it should be a noun., Misunderstanding the plural form; 'senses' should reference multiple types. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used to express emotions (e.g. 'I feel happy') and physical sensations (e.g. 'I feel cold'). More formal contexts may use 'experience' instead. Avoid using in extremely formal writing. | Use 'sense' to describe perception through sight, sound, taste, touch, or smell. It's commonly used in both formal and informal contexts when discussing feelings or awareness. Avoid using it in overly casual or slang contexts. |
Frequently asked questions: Feel vs Sense
What's the difference between Feel and Sense?
Feel: To experience an emotion or physical sensation. Sense: One of the five ways to feel things (like sight or touch).
Are Feel and Sense the same CEFR level?
Feel: A1, Sense: A2 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Feel and Sense interchangeably?
Not always. Feel and Sense are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.