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 post-war zeitgeist also began putting them further and further out of favor as a preferred educational choice of some American parents for their sons.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

Ultimately, it’s about challenging yourself to get vulnerable, which means many things to Kris, including the courage to stick up for a movie regardless of its current standing in the zeitgeist.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

“The existing board does not have the skillset to hire a world-class brand/product person who can deliver on the newest zeitgeist or style of the moment,” Wilson wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

That’s a generous reading of the bilateral zeitgeist at a tempestuous moment.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

People all over the world who are really secret agents for some other time zone, some other way of looking at the world, some other zeitgeist.

From Eastern Standard Tribe by Doctorow, Cory