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.

The prose will be aimed less at the high-falutin readers of literary magazines and more at young people with an interest in the cultural zeitgeist.

From The Wall Street Journal • 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

But the zeitgeist around the internet was that it would connect the world and improve lives.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026

No candidate has polled higher than 20-some percent — a testament to how many are in the running, but also an indication that none of them has truly captured the zeitgeist of today’s California.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 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