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 current zeitgeist is a great place for a movie like this,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

Its local name “Ben Fu” translated as “Rushing Toward Prosperity,” capturing the zeitgeist of China’s go-go years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

And so, the full magnitude of the true crime apparatus has descended upon the zeitgeist and this sleepy street, with no end in sight.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026

AI zeitgeist darling Palantir Technologies crushed Wall Street’s fourth quarter earnings forecasts earlier this month.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

It went on and vanished among the fronds of a distant island; but the calm had been broken, and through all the stems there ran a restless sense of anticipation, a zeitgeist of prophetic import.

From Edge of the Jungle by Beebe, William