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.

Sheridan Clayborne, a young man working in the AI-startup scene, seemed to embody the current zeitgeist when he was quoted this past fall in the San Francisco Standard.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sometimes the best “SNL” sketch isn’t just the funniest, but the one that is perfectly timed, with exactly the right host for just the moment in the zeitgeist for it to hit the hardest.

From Los Angeles Times

“All of these developments reflect years of work behind the scenes, but they are hitting the public zeitgeist now,” Federer said.

From MarketWatch

The consequences of this tectonic shift and accelerated deglobalization are higher borrowing costs, fiat currency depreciation, higher inflation, and for countries failing to adjust to the new zeitgeist, Strategas warns, a falling standard of living, a loss of geopolitical influence, capital outflows and austerity.

From MarketWatch

While public sentiment isn’t as easily measurable as capital expenditures, the fact that Merriam Webster crowned “slop” the word of the year for 2025 suggests that AI has fallen on the wrong side of the zeitgeist.

From MarketWatch