zeitgeist

[tsahyt-, zahyt-gahyst] / ˈtsaɪt-, ˈzaɪtˌgaɪst /

NOUN

spirit of the time

Synonyms

STRONG

climate outlook spirit trend

WEAK

ambience atmosphere disposition feeling flavor inclination leaning milieu movement tendency tenor tone

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But growing up, it definitely wasn’t in my cultural zeitgeist, whatever you want to call it.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

That’s a far cry from the $162-million opening haul of “Barbie,” but box-office analysts say that film captured the cultural zeitgeist in a way that’s hard to replicate.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

The show, which ran from 2004 to 2007 on NBC, was emblematic of the true-crime-obsessed, tabloid-fueled zeitgeist of the aughts.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

For the sequel, Disney marketers relied heavily on details from the 2006 original that have burrowed their way into the zeitgeist.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

That the young are the only bridge to the promised land of the zeitgeist of capitalism.

From After the Rain : how the West lost the East by Vaknin, Samuel