Cool MateFeeling vs Sense
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Feeling
Top 1,000 (very common)A1noun
Sense
Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun
| Feeling | Sense | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈfiːlɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfiːlɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/sens/"]/🇺🇸 /["/sens/"]/ |
| Meaning | An emotion or state of mind. | One of the five ways to feel things (like sight or touch). |
| Example | I have a good feeling about this project. | 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 | noun |
| Collocations | strong, overwhelming, definite, experience, feel, get, come over somebody, creep over somebody, be mutual, feeling about, feeling of, deep, intense, strong, experience, harbour/harbor, have, sweep over somebody, wash over somebody, well up inside somebody, feeling about, feeling for, feeling of, no hard feelings, deep, intense, strong, experience, harbour/harbor, have, sweep over somebody, wash over somebody, well up inside somebody, feeling about, feeling for, feeling of, no hard feelings, deep, intense, strong, experience, harbour/harbor, have, sweep over somebody, wash over somebody, well up inside somebody, feeling about, feeling for, feeling of, no hard feelings, strong, overwhelming, definite, experience, feel, get, come over somebody, creep over somebody, be mutual, feeling about, feeling of, great, wonderful, genuine, have, develop, with feeling, feeling for, lose, regain, feeling in, great, wonderful, genuine, have, develop, with feeling, feeling for, create, recreate, feeling of | 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 | apathy, indifference, detachment | nonsense, incomprehension |
| Common mistakes | Confusing 'feeling' with 'sense' in non-emotional contexts., Using 'feeling' as a countable noun (e.g., saying 'a feeling' when referring to a general emotion)., Omitting the gerund form when discussing ongoing emotions (e.g., 'I am feeling happy' vs. 'I feel happy'). | 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 | Use 'feeling' to express emotions or physical sensations. It's suitable for everyday conversations but may sound vague in formal writing. In specific contexts, you might use more precise terms for emotions. | 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. |
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Frequently asked questions: Feeling vs Sense
What's the difference between Feeling and Sense?
Feeling: An emotion or state of mind. Sense: One of the five ways to feel things (like sight or touch).
Which is more advanced: Feeling and Sense?
Sense is the highest level, at A2, on the CEFR scale.
Are Feeling and Sense the same CEFR level?
Feeling: A1, Sense: A2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Feeling and Sense?
Feeling: noun, Sense: noun.
Can you show an example of each?
Feeling: I have a good feeling about this project. Sense: It makes perfect sense that he would want to help his friend.
Can I use Feeling and Sense interchangeably?
Not always. Feeling 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.