English Reference
noun

sensation

n.
US /sɛnˈseɪʃən/ UK /sɛnsˈeɪʃən/ sen·sa·tion UK spelling sensation's, sensation's

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    a feeling in your body that comes from your senses, like heat, cold, or pain.

    a physical feeling or perception resulting from external stimuli or internal bodily states.

    Simple

    When she stepped outside, she felt a strange tingling sensation in her fingers from the cold.

    In context

    Patients often report a burning sensation in the chest area, which can be easily confused with other more serious cardiac symptoms.

    Usage

    Often used with adjectives like 'burning', 'tingling', or 'strange'.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    a person, event, or story that causes a lot of excitement and interest in the public.

    a state of widespread public interest and excitement, or the person or thing that provokes it.

    Simple

    The young singer became an overnight sensation after her video went viral.

    In context

    The novel caused a minor sensation when it was first published, primarily due to its controversial portrayal of the local government.

    Usage

    Commonly used in the phrase 'overnight sensation'.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced AcademicTechnical Science

    the way your body's sense organs, like your eyes or skin, react to things around you.

    the operation or function of the senses; the process of receiving stimuli through sensory organs.

    Simple

    The experiment studied how the brain processes the sensation of light.

    In context

    In psychological terms, sensation refers to the raw data received by the sensory receptors before the brain interprets it as perception.

    Usage

    In academic contexts, it is often contrasted with 'perception'.

In the early years of the 20th century the work quickly became a sensation, with hundreds of performances on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Guardian· 12 Aug 2026

She says those physical sensations - including a heavy feeling in her chest, a racing heart and difficulty concentrating - can reinforce the symptoms of anxiety, creating a cycle that is difficult to break.

BBC News· 5 Aug 2026

From Old French, from Medieval Latin sensatio, from Latin sensus.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin sensus
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated