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.

No candidate has polled higher than 20-some percent — a testament to how many are in the running, but also an indication that none of them has truly captured the zeitgeist of today’s California.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

I’m always interested in the zeitgeist and how we fit into that, but not necessarily to be on trend.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

With the billionaire class getting hammered in the zeitgeist, I had wondered how our trip might go.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 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