an overarching feeling

USAGE SUMMARY

'an overarching feeling' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a feeling that pervades or influences a particular situation as a whole. For example, "There was an overarching feeling of excitement throughout the city as the parade was about to begin."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

But when taken as an overarching feeling of deficiency, it's very difficult to believe the possibility that I'm not the shittiest person.

Vice

The characterisation of distress as an overarching feeling of remoteness was explained by many women in terms of negative birth experiences that women often blamed themselves for, and which they found difficult to move on from.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Whether vying for attention at the record store or adorning superfans' t-shirts, an album's cover has a lot of responsibility to convey an album's overarching feeling.

Vice

"When 9/11 took place, the overarching feeling was a feeling of decline, of incapacity to change our situation," said Amr Hamzawy, a political scientist who is forming a secular, liberal political party in Egypt.

The New York Times

There is a suggested route they can travel that is roughly chronological, but the overarching feeling is one of immersion.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

The overarching feeling that Holter tries to capture when writing, she says, is a sense of longing.

The Guardian - Music

The overarching feeling was that we need to better understand and respect each other's needs on a global scale, empathising with the desires of developing countries while mitigating against their potentially harmful effects.

The Guardian

Head west from Sydney, over the Great Dividing Range, and as you head towards Broken Hill, the overarching feeling is emptiness – the huge expanse of land between towns and settlements, and in the red centre, a lacuna of beauty and isolation.

The Guardian - Music

The memorial service was lovely and the overarching feeling was we wish you had known how much we admired and loved you.

Huffington Post

"I think the overarching feeling was how great it was that we had built a show that the studio felt was worthy of becoming a feature film," director Rob Bowman told VICE.

Vice

The vocal line initially multiplied the speed of the guitar — which caught up — as the lyrics pitted "an overarching paradigm of clarity and accuracy" against "an overbearing feeling of disparity and disorderliness".

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an overarching feeling" to describe a dominant emotion or sentiment that influences a situation, rather than a specific, isolated feeling. For instance, "An overarching feeling of hope permeated the community after the announcement."

Common error

While "an overarching feeling" is grammatically correct, overuse in casual conversation can sound stilted. Opt for simpler phrases like "the general vibe" or "the main feeling" in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an overarching feeling" functions as a noun phrase, with "overarching" acting as an adjective modifying the noun "feeling". It describes a dominant or pervasive emotion that influences a situation. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an overarching feeling" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase to describe a dominant or pervasive emotion influencing a situation. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, highlighting its appearance in diverse contexts like news articles and scientific publications. Although the expression is correct and easy to understand, "an overarching feeling" is considered to be rare, due to the low occurence in both main contexts, such as News & Media or Science. While its descriptive power is valuable, reserve it for scenarios where a nuanced portrayal of sentiment is desired. When a simpler and more direct expression is needed, consider alternatives like "a general sense" or "the main feeling" to effectively convey a widespread or dominant sentiment.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a dominant sentiment

Replaces "overarching feeling" with a more formal and direct term for a prevailing emotion.

a prevailing emotion

Emphasizes the emotional aspect, suggesting an emotion that is currently dominant.

a common sentiment

Highlights the shared nature of the feeling among a group of people.

a pervasive mood

Shifts the focus from a specific feeling to a general atmosphere or mood that is widespread.

a unifying emotion

Suggests that the feeling brings people together or creates a sense of solidarity.

a widespread perception

Focuses on how something is viewed or understood by many people.

a general sense

Broadens the scope to include impressions and perceptions, not just feelings.

the main impression

Focuses on the key takeaway or understanding that one gains from something.

a primary impression

Emphasizes the initial and most significant effect something has on someone.

the overall atmosphere

Shifts from an internal feeling to the external environment or setting that influences emotions.

FAQs

How can I use "an overarching feeling" in a sentence?

Use "an overarching feeling" to describe a dominant or pervasive emotion in a particular context. For example, "An overarching feeling of uncertainty gripped the team as the deadline approached."

What's a more formal alternative to "an overarching feeling"?

For a more formal tone, consider phrases like "a dominant sentiment" or "a prevailing emotion" to convey a similar meaning.

What can I say instead of "an overarching feeling" in casual conversation?

In casual settings, simpler alternatives like "the general vibe" or "the main feeling" are often more appropriate.

Is it correct to use "an overarching feeling" to describe a specific, isolated emotion?

The phrase "an overarching feeling" is best used to describe a dominant emotion that influences a situation or group, rather than a fleeting, isolated feeling. For the latter, consider using "a fleeting feeling" or "an isolated emotion".