feelings
feelings
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "feelings" is /ˈfiːlɪŋz/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
feel: /fiːl/
/f/ - voiceless labiodental fricative
/iː/ - close front unrounded vowel (long "ee" sound)
/l/ - alveolar lateral approximant
ings: /ɪŋz/
/ɪ/ - near-close near-front unrounded vowel (as in "kit")
/ŋ/ - velar nasal
/z/ - voiced alveolar sibilant
Word Form Variations
feeling: (singular noun) This refers to a single, individual emotional response or sensation.
feelings: (plural noun) This refers to multiple emotions or sensations. It's the form you originally asked about.
feel: (verb) This is the base verb form. It means to experience an emotion or sensation. It can also be a noun (less common) referring to the sense of touch.
felt: (verb, past tense and past participle) This is the past tense and past participle of the verb "feel."
feeling (adjective/present participle): Describing something that is capable of feeling, or currently experiencing a sensation.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun:
feeling (singular): A conscious mental reaction or sensation, such as joy, sorrow, anger, or love. It can also refer to a physical sensation.
Synonyms: emotion, sensation, sentiment, affection, passion, mood, experience
Antonyms: apathy, indifference, insensitivity, numbness
feelings (plural): The sum total of one's emotional state; the capacity to experience emotions. Often used to refer to a range of emotions.
Synonyms: emotions, sentiments, affections, passions, inner life, heart
Antonyms: lack of feeling, emotional detachment, coldness
Verb:
feel: To experience an emotion or sensation. To perceive through the sense of touch. To have a particular impression or belief about something.
Synonyms: experience, sense, perceive, undergo, encounter, believe, think
Antonyms: ignore, disregard, be unaware of, be insensitive to
Adjective (Present Participle):
feeling: Experiencing or showing emotion. Capable of feeling. Also, used to describe something that produces a particular sensation.
Synonyms: emotional, sensitive, sentient, responsive, perceptive, touching, poignant
Antonyms: unemotional, insensitive, unresponsive, apathetic, cold, indifferent
Adverb (less common, usually part of a phrase):
While "feelingly" exists, it's not commonly used. Often, adverbial phrases are used instead, like "feeling sad" or "feeling unwell." It would mean "in a way that shows feeling." * Synonyms: emotionally, sensitively, passionately, deeply * Antonyms: unemotionally, insensitively, coldly, apathetically
Past Tense/Past Participle:
felt: (verb) The past tense and past participle of "feel."
Examples of Use
Books:
"She had a strange feeling that she had seen him somewhere before." (Fiction - Example sentence, not from a specific book) This illustrates the use of "feeling" as a singular noun for a specific sensation.
"His book explored the complex feelings of grief and loss." (Non-fiction - Example sentence) Here, "feelings" refers to a range of emotions.
Newspapers/Online Publications:
"Rising inflation is fueling feelings of anxiety among consumers." (News article - Example sentence) This shows "feelings" used to describe a collective emotional response.
"Experts discuss how to manage feelings of stress during the holiday season." (Health/Lifestyle article - Example sentence) Again, "feelings" refers to a range of emotions.
"I felt a surge of pride when my daughter graduated." (Personal essay/blog post - Example sentence) This uses "felt" (past tense of feel) to describe a specific emotional experience.
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
"The song perfectly captures the feeling of heartbreak." (Music review - Example sentence) Here, "feeling" refers to the emotional tone or essence of the song.
"The movie evoked a wide range of feelings in the audience." (Movie review - Example sentence) "Feelings" are used to describe the emotional impact of the film.
"I'm feeling so excited about the concert tonight!" (Social media post - Example sentence) This is a common use of "feeling" in informal online communication.
"I felt so betrayed when my friend lied to me." (Online forum/discussion - Example sentence) "Felt" is used to express a personal emotional experience.
General Public Discourse:
"I have mixed feelings about the new policy." (Everyday conversation - Example sentence) "Feelings" is used to express ambivalence or a combination of emotions.
"He expressed his feelings of gratitude for their support." (Formal speech/letter - Example sentence) "Feelings" are used to articulate specific emotions.
"I feel like I'm making progress in my career." (Everyday conversation - Example sentence) "Feel" is used to express a sense or impression.
"She felt a sharp pain in her leg." (Everyday conversation - Example sentence) "Felt" is used to describe a physical sensation.
10 Famous Quotes Using Feelings
“Feelings are something you have; not something you are.” — Shannon L. Alder
“Feelings are much like waves — we can’t stop them from coming but we can choose which ones to surf.” — Jonatan Mårtensson
“Never apologize for showing your feelings. When you do, you’re apologizing for the truth.” — José N. Harris
“Feelings are the colors of the soul. Don’t hide them, don’t rush them, don’t mute them.” — Original
“Sometimes, your feelings know the truth before your mind can catch up.” — Original
“We remember people not by what they said, but by how they made us feel.” — Maya Angelou (paraphrased from: “...people will never forget how you made them feel.”)
““Feelings are much like waves; we can’t stop them from coming, but we can choose which ones to surf.” — Jonatan Mårtensson
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart.” — Helen Keller
“Feelings are just visitors. Let them come and go.” — Mooji
“Feelings are the bridges between our inner world and the one we share with others.” — Original
Etymology
"Feeling" comes from the Old English word "fēlan," which meant "to touch, perceive, experience." Think of it like this: the earliest meaning was very physical, like actually feeling something with your hand. This idea of physical sensation is still part of the word's meaning today (like "I felt the rough texture").
That Old English word "fēlan" likely came from a Proto-Germanic word, which is a reconstructed ancestor of many Germanic languages. This Proto-Germanic word probably had a similar meaning of touching or sensing. Unfortunately, we don't have direct written records of this Proto-Germanic word, but linguists can figure it out by comparing related words in different languages.
So, the very first known uses of "feeling" were about physical touch. Over time, the meaning broadened to include emotional and mental sensations. It wasn't a sudden change, but rather a gradual shift. People started using "feeling" not just for physical touch, but also for inner experiences like joy, sadness, or anger. These emotional "feelings" are, in a way, like internal "touches" – experiences that affect us deeply.
In short, "feeling" started with a very concrete meaning (physical touch) and gradually expanded to encompass the more abstract world of emotions and sensations. It's a word that has evolved over centuries, reflecting how we understand and express our experiences, both physical and emotional.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Feelings
Phrases (Common & Less Common):
A feeling of... (e.g., a feeling of dread, a feeling of joy): This is a very common way to describe a specific emotion.
To have a feeling that...: Expressing an intuition or hunch.
I'm feeling... (e.g., I'm feeling tired, I'm feeling optimistic): A common way to describe one's current emotional or physical state.
To get a feeling for something: To begin to understand or grasp something.
To have mixed feelings about something: To feel both positive and negative emotions.
To wear one's feelings on one's sleeve: To openly display one's emotions (a near-idiom as it's quite common).
To hurt someone's feelings: To cause emotional pain.
To spare someone's feelings: To avoid saying or doing something that might upset someone.
To search one's feelings: To examine one's own emotions.
To be full of feeling: To be a very emotional or sensitive person.
Idioms (or near-idioms/fixed expressions):
Feeling blue: Feeling sad or depressed.
Feeling under the weather: Feeling slightly ill.
Feeling on top of the world: Feeling extremely happy and successful.
Gut feeling: An intuition or instinct (often, but not always, related to fear or distrust).
Why fewer true idioms with "feeling" itself?
"Feeling" is a very general word. Idioms often rely on more specific imagery or metaphorical language. Because "feeling" is already quite abstract, it doesn't lend itself as easily to the kind of figurative language that makes for strong idioms. We tend to use "feeling" in more literal or descriptive ways.
Substituting with Synonyms for Idiomatic Effect:
Since "feeling" itself isn't as idiomatic, we often use synonyms or related concepts in idioms:
To be in high spirits: (Instead of "feeling very happy")
To be down in the dumps: (Instead of "feeling very sad")
To have butterflies in one's stomach: (Instead of "feeling nervous")
My heart sank: (Instead of "I felt very disappointed")
I was on cloud nine: (Instead of "I felt extremely happy")
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of feelings from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
