subliminal

Definition of subliminalnext
as in simple
functioning outside the area of conscious awareness but acting to influence one's thoughts or feelings A subliminal image was embedded in the advertisement. The subliminal sounds supposedly aid in getting to sleep, but I am skeptical.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of subliminal Sometimes, the frame is transfixed by haunting, practically subliminal changes fomenting on a subconscious level, as Dua is shaken from within, and the remarkable Matoshi doles out nuggets of recognizable emotion from beneath her rock-hard exterior. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 13 May 2026 Kristian Sandberg, who is an associate professor of neuroscience and leads an international research group at the Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience at Aarhus University in Denmark, has published work on subliminal perception. Miles Klee, Wired News, 4 May 2026 In the year since, both women have appeared to send subliminal messages about each other via their social media, but neither has outwardly dissed the other until this week, keeping it mostly professional. Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026 As a child raised amid war and displacement, uncertainty and subliminal anxiety felt natural to me. Mehrnoush Soroush, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for subliminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subliminal
Adjective
  • Waist circumference is one simple way to estimate visceral fat.
    Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • From a straightforward season-long points race to giving the points leader a cushion on the leaderboard, and now the simple format of awarding the FedEx Cup to the winner of the Tour Championship, the postseason has long needed a boost.
    Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Changing configuration with no external wiring The development depends on a quirk of physics called mechanical bifurcation, which is a sudden shift in structural behavior past a physical tipping point.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The study describes the recovered cotton and spandex as structurally intact, but that does not by itself establish whether the fibers retain the mechanical performance necessary for textile-to-textile reuse.
    Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Rather than designing an entirely new robotic counter-drone vehicle, the companies combined an existing robotic platform with an existing sensing and electronic warfare capability.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The monsters of the original — the Cyclops and the sirens — are replaced by drones that buzz across the stage and models of robotic war machines.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Solms also makes a credible claim that Freud was right in speaking about a subconscious drive to seek pleasure.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 19 Aug. 2026
  • We are swayed by subconscious gestures that ultimately have no bearing on a person’s ability to do a job, like poor posture or a weak handshake.
    Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Adjective
  • There are exceptions and one is Hig (Elordi), who before the virus hit was a mechanic living a good life with his pregnant wife and new puppy.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Many drivers don't want to deal with mechanic shop visits, diagnosing vehicle issues, and consistent part failure and replacement.
    Charles Singh, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • When cops arrived there they were told the man was unconscious and unresponsive when he was dumped there.
    Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Zach Hickerson has since said Brian Hickerson administered Narcan to Panettiere after the brothers found her unconscious.
    Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Padmini smiled, though this appeared more reflex than friendliness.
    Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • One breath, just long enough to let the reflex pass and judgment catch up.
    Alfonso Cahero, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Adjective
  • The Sun quincunxes Pluto, highlighting where careful effort meets control issues, hidden pressure, or shifting priorities.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Clarke pursued authenticity ingeniously, using tiny, hidden radio microphones that transmitted to tape recorder from afar, in order to capture dialogue with maximal spontaneity.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Subliminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subliminal. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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