sensation
noun
sen·sa·tion
| \ sen-ˈsā-shən
, sən-\
, sən-\
Definition of sensation
1a
: a mental process (such as seeing, hearing, or smelling) resulting from the immediate external stimulation of a sense organ often as distinguished from a conscious awareness of the sensory process — compare perception
b
: awareness (as of heat or pain) due to stimulation of a sense organ
c
: a state of consciousness due to internal bodily changes
a sensation of hunger
d
: an indefinite bodily feeling
a sensation of buoyancy
2
: something (such as a physical stimulus, sense-datum, or afterimage) that causes or is the object of sensation
3a
: a state of excited interest or feeling
their elopement caused a sensation
b
: a cause of such excitement
the show was the musical sensation of the season
especially
: one (such as a person) in some respect exceptional or outstanding
the rookie hitting sensation of the American League
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Examples of sensation in a Sentence
I experienced a stinging sensation in my arm.
She felt a burning sensation in her throat.
She craved new experiences and sensations.
She had the strange sensation that someone was watching her.
I couldn't quite shake the sensation that I'd been fooled.
Her injury left her with no sensation in her legs.
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Recent Examples on the Web
This newcomer to the mattress-in-a-box sensation launched in the U.S. back in November 2018. — Marc Davila, House Beautiful, "Why Switching to an Emma Mattress Helped Me Sleep Better Than Ever," 1 Aug. 2019 Fortnite has become an international sensation, making Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney a billionaire. — Bloomberg News, BostonGlobe.com, "This Pennsylvania teen just won $3 million in the first Fortnite World Cup," 28 July 2019 This begins with sophomore sensation Baker Mayfield. — Matt Gajewski, SI.com, "Fantasy Football 2019: Wide Receiver Position Primer," 8 Aug. 2019 In comes the hot priest, Andrew Scott’s overnight sensation. — Nick Romano, EW.com, "Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge explains how she cracked season 2," 8 Aug. 2019 Defensively, coordinator Matt Eberflus took a motley crew of castoffs and rookie sensation Darius Leonard and formed one of the league's most disciplined and athletic units. — Scott Horner, Indianapolis Star, "NFL power rankings: Colts get high marks heading into preseason play," 7 Aug. 2019 There were even hints from a case study that stimulation could restore the ability to move voluntarily, at least in people with incomplete injuries: those who had retained some sensation and movement in their lower bodies. — Cassandra Willyard, Scientific American, "How a Revolutionary Technique Got People with Spinal-Cord Injuries Back on Their Feet," 7 Aug. 2019 This popular strain elicits an amplified, uplifted, cerebral sensation. — Naomi Martin, BostonGlobe.com, "The essential guide to buying and consuming pot in Massachusetts," 6 Aug. 2019 Not that very long ago, teen messaging sensation Snap seemed to be in big trouble, with a shrinking user base, shrinking advertiser base, and shrinking stock price. — Aaron Pressman, Fortune, "What’s in Your Wallet: Should You Get the Apple Credit Card?—Data Sheet," 5 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sensation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for sensation
sensation
noun
English Language Learners Definition of sensation
: a particular feeling or effect that your body experiences
: a particular feeling or experience that may not have a real cause
: the ability to feel things through your physical senses
See the full definition for sensation in the English Language Learners Dictionary
sensation
noun
sen·sa·tion
| \ sen-ˈsā-shən
\
\
Kids Definition of sensation
1
: awareness (as of noise or heat) or a mental process (as seeing or smelling) resulting from stimulation of a sense organ
I felt a tingling sensation in my leg.
2
: an indefinite awareness of a feeling or experience
… I had the sensation I'd been there before.— Avi, Crispin
3
: a state of excited interest or feeling
The rumor caused a sensation.
4
: a cause or object of excited interest
The play was a sensation.
sensation
noun
sen·sa·tion
| \ sen-ˈsā-shən, sən-
\
\
Medical Definition of sensation
1a
: a mental process (as seeing, hearing, or smelling) resulting from the immediate external stimulation of a sense organ often as distinguised from a conscious awareness of the sensory process — compare perception
b
: awareness (as of heat or pain) due to stimulation of a sense organ
c
: a state of consciousness due to internal bodily changes
a sensation of hunger
2
: something (as a physical stimulus, sense-datum, pain, or afterimage) that causes or is the object of sensation
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