What is sense? Pronunciation and usage in English

sense means . Learn how to pronounce and use sense through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of sense

sensenoun/verb

/sɛns/
Definition & pronunciation of sense

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "sense" in English. It's a tricky one for learners because it's often mispronounced!

Here's the breakdown:

The Correct Pronunciation (American English):

  • ˈsens (Stress is on the first syllable)
  • Suhn – Say "sun" but with an "n" at the end. It's a quick, soft "n" sound.

Here's a more detailed breakdown of the sounds:

  1. "S": Starts with a clear "s" sound.
  2. "en": This is the tricky part! It’s pronounced like "uhn" – a short, unstressed vowel sound like in the word “sun” or “fun”. Don't say "en" as in "end."
  3. "se": The "se" is very quickly and lightly pronounced, almost disappearing. It’s really just the sound of the "n" that follows.

Listen to examples:

Common Mistakes and Why They're Wrong:

  • "sens-uh": This adds a long "e" sound at the end, which is incorrect.
  • "sense" (like "sense" in "common sense"): While this is a perfectly acceptable pronunciation in certain contexts (when referring to the feeling of understanding), the standard pronunciation is /ˈsens/.

Resources for Pronunciation:

To help me give you even more targeted advice, could you tell me:

  • What kind of English are you learning? (American, British, Australian, etc.)
  • Are you having trouble with a specific part of the pronunciation? (e.g., the "en" sound?)

Usage and examples with the word sense in English

Let's break down how to use the word "sense" in English. It's a surprisingly versatile word with several different meanings! Here's a categorized breakdown with examples:

1. Sense (as in Feeling/Perception - Your Senses)

  • Meaning: This is the core meaning – the ability to perceive things through your five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch).
  • Examples:
    • "I don’t sense anything unusual." (feeling a general vibe)
    • “I can sense a change in the weather.” (feeling a change in temperature or humidity)
    • “She has a good sense of smell.” (ability to detect odors)
    • “He has a keen sense of hearing.” (ability to hear subtle sounds)

2. Sense (as in Understand/Make Sense)

  • Meaning: To comprehend something; to find a logical connection. It’s about making something understandable.
  • Examples:
    • “I don’t sense what you’re saying.” (I don’t understand)
    • “It doesn’t make sense.” (It’s illogical or confusing)
    • “Do you sense the problem?” (Do you understand the issue?)
    • “He makes no sense.” (His speech is illogical and difficult to comprehend.)

3. Sense (as in Feeling of Rightness/Logic)

  • Meaning: A feeling that something is correct, appropriate, or justified. It’s an intuition.
  • Examples:
    • “I have a sense of duty.” (A feeling of obligation)
    • “She has a good sense of humor.” (She’s funny and appropriate)
    • “He has a sense of timing.” (He’s good at knowing the right moment to act)
    • "I got a sense that something was going to happen." (I had an intuition)

4. Sense (as in a Feeling of Importance/Value)

  • Meaning: To have importance or value. Often used in phrases like "common sense."
  • Examples:
    • “Common sense is important.” (Practical, sensible judgment)
    • “There’s no sense in arguing.” (There's no point to arguing)
    • “It’s a matter of sense and nonsense.” (A question of logic and absurdity)

5. Sense (as a Verb - To Perceive/Detect)

  • Meaning: To become aware of something through a sense.
  • Examples:
    • “I sense danger.” (I detect a threat)
    • “Can you sense the heat?” (Can you feel the heat?)
    • “He sensed her nervousness.” (He detected her anxiety)

6. Sense (as a Verb - To Make Logical)

  • Meaning: To make something logical or understandable.
  • Examples:
    • “Let’s sense this out.” (Let's try to figure it out.)
    • "The speaker didn't sense the audience’s frustration." (The speaker failed to understand the audience's reaction)

Key Phrases to Watch Out For:

  • "Sense of..." – This is a very common construction: “a sense of humor,” “a sense of responsibility,” “a sense of belonging.”
  • "Make sense" – This is extremely common when discussing understanding something.
  • "Sense it" - Often used informally to mean “feel it” or “understand it intuitively.” (e.g., "I just sense that this is going to be a bad day.")

To help me give you even more targeted advice, could you tell me:

  • What kind of context are you trying to use "sense" in? (e.g., casual conversation, writing an essay, a specific topic like psychology?)

Synonyms for the word sense

Idioms of the word sense

knock/talk some sense into somebody
to try and persuade somebody to stop behaving in a stupid way, sometimes using rough or violent methods
  • Try and talk some sense into her before she makes the wrong decision.
  • Where would I be without you to knock some sense into my head?
make sense
to have a meaning that you can easily understand
  • This sentence doesn't make sense.
to be a sensible thing to do
  • It makes sense to buy the most up-to-date version.
  • There are strict medicals for pilots, which makes good sense.
to be easy to understand or explain
  • John wasn't making much sense on the phone.
  • Who would send me all these flowers? It makes no sense.
  • It all made perfect sense to me.
make sense of something
to understand something that is difficult or has no clear meaning
  • I can’t make sense of that painting.
see sense
to start to be sensible or reasonable
  • I tried to make him see sense, but he just wouldn't listen.
a sense of occasion
a feeling or understanding that an event is important or special
  • Candles on the table gave the evening a sense of occasion.
take leave of your senses
(old-fashioned)to start behaving in a crazy way

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