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.

Like all of Guest’s fake documentaries — including other zeitgeist staples like “Best in Show” and “Waiting for Guffman” — “A Mighty Wind” is largely improvised.

From Salon

All eight of the nominees for best new artist then got their chance to shine in an extended segment celebrating "emerging talents who are defining music's zeitgeist".

From BBC

Ronson and Mars knew how to hit the zeitgeist.

From The Wall Street Journal

As recently as November, Milli Vanilli came up in the zeitgeist, sparked by a comment on X by veteran producer Jermaine Dupri commenting on AI “artists” charting on Billboard.

From Los Angeles Times

But as the movement grew, new interpretations spread, transforming the pink hats into a Rorschach test for where you were in the zeitgeist.

From Slate