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 for 30 years we did our best to make him part of L.A.’s artistic zeitgeist.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

Dimon has a habit of making big commitments in tune with the zeitgeist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

AI is just one more thing we all have to worry about now — in the classroom, in the workplace, in the zeitgeist.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Such zeitgeist wins are harder to come by now with everyone focused on their phones.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

So Sophy left off trying to understand clearly all the "ologies" and fly-wheel within fly-wheel movements of the day, and contented herself with a general apprehension of the zeitgeist.

From Shadows of Flames A Novel by Rives, Amélie