Library / English Dictionary

EXPERIENCE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The accumulation of knowledge or skill that results from direct participation in events or activities

Example:

experience is the best teacher

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("experience" is a kind of...):

education (knowledge acquired by learning and instruction)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "experience"):

familiarisation; familiarization (the experience of becoming familiar with something)

woodcraft (skill and experience in matters relating to the woods (as hunting or fishing or camping))

Antonym:

inexperience (lack of experience and the knowledge and understanding derived from experience)

Derivation:

experience (undergo or live through a difficult experience)

experient (having experience; having knowledge or skill from observation or participation)

experiential (derived from experience or the experience of existence)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The content of direct observation or participation in an event

Example:

he recalled the experience vividly

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("experience" is a kind of...):

cognitive content; content; mental object (the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "experience"):

reality; world (all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you)

life; living (the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities)

re-experiencing; reliving (a recurrence of a prior experience)

reminder (an experience that causes you to remember something)

Derivation:

experience (undergo)

experience (have firsthand knowledge of states, situations, emotions, or sensations)

experience (undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind)

experience (go through (mental or physical states or experiences))

experiential (relating to or resulting from experience)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An event as apprehended

Example:

that painful experience certainly got our attention

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("experience" is a kind of...):

happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)

Meronyms (parts of "experience"):

high point (the most enjoyable part of a given experience)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "experience"):

vision (a religious or mystical experience of a supernatural appearance)

head trip; trip (an exciting or stimulating experience)

time (a person's experience on a particular occasion)

taste (a brief experience of something)

out-of-body experience (the dissociative experience of observing yourself from an external perspective as though your mind or soul had left and was observing your body)

ordeal (a severe or trying experience)

near-death experience (the experience of being close to death but surviving)

loss (the experience of losing a loved one)

blast; good time (a highly pleasurable or exciting experience)

flash; flashing (a short vivid experience)

augury; foretoken; preindication; sign (an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come)

appalling (an experience that appalls)

Derivation:

experience (undergo or live through a difficult experience)

experience (go through (mental or physical states or experiences))

experience (undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind)

experience (undergo)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Undergo

Example:

The stocks had a fast run-up

Synonyms:

experience; have

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "experience" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "experience"):

encounter; meet; receive (experience as a reaction)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

experience (the content of direct observation or participation in an event)

experience (an event as apprehended)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Have firsthand knowledge of states, situations, emotions, or sensations

Example:

I lived through two divorces

Synonyms:

experience; know; live

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "experience" is one way to...):

experience; go through; see (undergo or live through a difficult experience)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "experience"):

taste (experience briefly)

live over; relive (experience again, often in the imagination)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

experience (the content of direct observation or participation in an event)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

Example:

He felt regret

Synonyms:

experience; feel

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "experience"):

regret; repent; rue (feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about)

sadden (come to feel sad)

joy; rejoice (feel happiness or joy)

sympathise; sympathize (share the feelings of; understand the sentiments of)

pride oneself; take pride (feel proud of)

burn (feel strong emotion, especially anger or passion)

die (feel indifferent towards)

fly high (be elated)

beam; glow; radiate; shine (experience a feeling of well-being or happiness, as from good health or an intense emotion)

glow (be exuberant or high-spirited)

fume (be mad, angry, or furious)

suffer (experience (emotional) pain)

chafe (feel extreme irritation or anger)

anger; see red (become angry)

cool off (feel less enamoured of something or somebody)

entertain; harbor; harbour; hold; nurse (maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings))

smolder; smoulder (have strong suppressed feelings)

congratulate; plume; pride (be proud of)

recapture (experience anew)

incline (feel favorably disposed or willing)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

experience (the content of direct observation or participation in an event)

experience (an event as apprehended)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Go through (mental or physical states or experiences)

Example:

have a feeling

Synonyms:

experience; get; have; receive

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "experience" is one way to...):

undergo (pass through)

"Experience" entails doing...:

comprehend; perceive (to become aware of through the senses)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "experience"):

horripilate (have one's hair stand on end and get goosebumps)

take (experience or feel or submit to)

get; have; suffer; sustain (undergo (as of injuries and illnesses))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

experience (the content of direct observation or participation in an event)

experience (an event as apprehended)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Undergo or live through a difficult experience

Example:

he saw action in Viet Nam

Synonyms:

experience; go through; see

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "experience" is one way to...):

undergo (pass through)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "experience"):

experience; know; live (have firsthand knowledge of states, situations, emotions, or sensations)

endure; suffer (undergo or be subjected to)

meet; suffer (undergo or suffer)

feel (undergo passive experience of)

enjoy (have for one's benefit)

find; see; witness (perceive or be contemporaneous with)

come (experience orgasm)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

experience (the accumulation of knowledge or skill that results from direct participation in events or activities)

experience (an event as apprehended)

Credits

 Context examples: 

It was patent that Wolf had had no experience with women.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

This hovel however, joined a cottage of a neat and pleasant appearance, but after my late dearly bought experience, I dared not enter it.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Designed to take individuals with clinical degrees and give them experience in clinical research.

(Physician Scientist Award (Program) (PSA), NCI Thesaurus)

A measurement of the total number of pregnancy events experienced by the female subject.

(Number of Pregnancies, NCI Thesaurus)

Does he/she seem to see, hear or experience things that are not present?

(NPI - Hallucinations Such as Seeing False Visions or Hearing False Voices, NCI Thesaurus)

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Does the patient describe any other unusual sensory experiences?

(NPI - Describe Any Other Unusual Sensory Experiences, NCI Thesaurus)

A response indicating that an individual is or has experienced something but that it was not enough to cause them concern or worry.

(Not Enough to Be Concerned or Worried, NCI Thesaurus)

Almost 25% of patients experience thromboembolic complications, and 50% have liver metastases at the time of diagnosis.

(Pancreatic Glucagonoma, NCI Thesaurus)

A disorder in which an individual experiences recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and persistent concern about having additional panic attacks.

(Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, NCI Thesaurus)

If they cannot, they may experience: • Panic and fear • Rapid heartbeat • Shortness of breath • Trembling • A strong desire to get away

(Phobias, NIH: National Institute of Mental Health)