sixth sense

noun

: a power of perception like but not one of the five senses : a keen intuitive power

Examples of sixth sense in a Sentence

She claimed to have a sixth sense for knowing when someone was about to call her. a filmmaker with a sixth sense for knowing which stories the general public will find irresistible
Recent Examples on the Web The 6-foot-3 guard probably would no longer live in the paint and use his 6-10 wingspan and sixth sense for creating contact to draw fouls. Andrew Greif, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2024 The designer’s sixth sense has surely been honed by experience, but perhaps there’s a bit of destiny involved as well. Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2023 Your sixth sense will tell you—even children will know. Jocelyn Silver, Vogue, 21 July 2023 Bats’ sixth sense Naturalists had long understood that bats must communicate in some way — 18th century Italian scientist Lazarro Spallanzani put an owl and a bat in a completely dark room and found that while the bat flew effortlessly, the owl kept bumping into objects in its flight path. Katie Hunt, CNN, 26 Apr. 2023 Some Good Morning America viewers might have a sixth sense. Janine Rubenstein, Peoplemag, 30 Apr. 2023 Because of, sort of, the sixth sense in the pocket, the decision-making, processing information quickly. Mike Rodak | Mrodak@al.com, al, 11 Apr. 2023 Developing a sixth sense means training your team to notice who is not being included, what is not being said and why. Joyce Talag, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2023 Sharks have a sixth sense. Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 14 July 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sixth sense.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1761, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sixth sense was in 1761

Dictionary Entries Near sixth sense

Cite this Entry

“Sixth sense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sixth%20sense. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sixth sense

noun
: a special ability to sense something that does not involve the five senses
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