What does "feel" mean?
The sense of touch.
Feel
/fil/ adj, adv, noun, pron, verb, slang
adj, adv, noun, pron, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The sense of touch.
- Grammar: feel is listed as adj, adv, noun, pron, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: feeling, abide, aim, air.
- Useful contrasts: benumbed, numb, apathy.
- Usage evidence: For some reason I feel more alive at night.
How to use "feel"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "feel" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "feel" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "feel" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "feel" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "feel" is acting as adj, adv, noun, pron, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "feeling" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "feel", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The sense of touch. archaic
"It begins as a firm elastic swelling, which communicates to the feel the idea that a fluid is contained under a firm fascia […]"
- 2 manual stimulation of the genital area for sexual pleasure wordnet
- 3 A perception experienced mainly or solely through the sense of touch.
"Bark has a rough feel."
- 4 a property perceived by touch wordnet
- 5 A vague mental impression.
"You should get a feel for the area before moving in."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 an intuitive awareness wordnet
- 7 An act of fondling.
"She gave me a quick feel to show that she loves me."
- 8 the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people wordnet
- 9 A vague understanding.
"I'm getting a feel for what you mean."
- 10 An intuitive ability.
"She has a feel for music."
- 11 A feeling; an emotion. US, slang
"I know that feel."
Verb
- 1 To use or experience the sense of touch.; To become aware of through the skin; to use the sense of touch on. copulative, transitive
"You can feel a heartbeat if you put your fingers on your breast."
- 2 be conscious of a physical, mental, or emotional state wordnet
- 3 To use or experience the sense of touch.; To find one's way (literally or figuratively) by touching or using cautious movements. transitive
"I felt my way through the darkened room."
- 4 have a feeling or perception about oneself in reaction to someone's behavior or attitude wordnet
- 5 To use or experience the sense of touch.; To receive information by touch or by any neurons other than those responsible for sight, smell, taste, or hearing. intransitive
Show 20 more definitions
- 6 come to believe on the basis of emotion, intuitions, or indefinite grounds wordnet
- 7 To use or experience the sense of touch.; To search by sense of touch. intransitive
"He felt (about) for the light switch in the dark."
- 8 examine by touch wordnet
- 9 To sense or think emotionally or judgmentally.; To experience an emotion or other mental state about. transitive
"I can feel the sadness in his poems."
- 10 pass one's hands over the sexual organs of wordnet
- 11 To sense or think emotionally or judgmentally.; To think, believe, or have an impression concerning. transitive
"I feel that we need to try harder."
- 12 examine (a body part) by palpation wordnet
- 13 To sense or think emotionally or judgmentally.; To experience an emotion or other mental state. copulative, intransitive
"He obviously feels strongly about it."
- 14 undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind wordnet
- 15 To sense or think emotionally or judgmentally.; To sympathise; to have the sensibilities moved or affected. intransitive
"I feel for you and your plight."
- 16 perceive by a physical sensation, e.g., coming from the skin or muscles wordnet
- 17 To be or become aware of. transitive
- 18 undergo passive experience of wordnet
- 19 To experience the consequences of. transitive
"Feel my wrath!"
- 20 grope or feel in search of something wordnet
- 21 To seem (through touch or otherwise). copulative
"It looks like wood, but it feels more like plastic."
- 22 produce a certain impression wordnet
- 23 To understand. US, slang, transitive
"I don't want you back here, ya feel me?"
- 24 find by testing or cautious exploration wordnet
- 25 be felt or perceived in a certain way wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Alternative form of fele. alt-of, alternative, dialectal, not-comparable, obsolete
Adverb
- 1 Alternative form of fele. alt-of, alternative, dialectal, not-comparable, obsolete
Pronoun
- 1 Alternative form of fele. alt-of, alternative, dialectal, obsolete
Example
"For some reason I feel more alive at night."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "feel"?
Common synonyms include: feeling, abide, aim, air, ambiance, ambience.
How do you use "feel" in a sentence?
For some reason I feel more alive at night.
How do you pronounce "feel"?
Pronounced /fil/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English felen, from Old English fēlan, from Proto-West Germanic *fōlijan.
Etymology 2
See fele.