had a feeling

USAGE SUMMARY

"had a feeling" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are referring to something that you felt in the past. Example: "I had a feeling that something wasn't quite right."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

And I had a feeling.

Independent

The Cotters had a feeling, though.

The New York Times - Sports

"I had a feeling," Ms. Williams says.

The New York Times

The Cotters, however, had a feeling.

The New York Times

Krause had a feeling about Jackson.

The New York Times - Sports

She had a feeling.

The New York Times

"I had a feeling.

The New York Times - Sports

"I just had a feeling.

The New York Times - Sports

Jill Ellis had a feeling.

The Guardian - Sport

She just had a feeling.

The Guardian

Rob: Right, yeah, I had a feeling.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had a feeling" to convey a sense of intuition or premonition, especially when describing past events where your initial feeling proved correct. It adds a personal and relatable touch to your narrative.

Common error

Avoid overuse of "had a feeling" in formal or scientific writing, as it can sound speculative. Instead, use more precise language to describe observations or hypotheses.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had a feeling" functions as a means to express an intuition, premonition, or subjective sense about a situation or event. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

87%

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Science

2%

Reference

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had a feeling" is a versatile phrase used to express intuition or premonition, as supported by Ludwig AI's analysis. It's commonly found in news and media, conveying a personal sense about events. While grammatically correct and widely used, it's best to reserve it for contexts where subjective experience is appropriate, avoiding overuse in highly formal writing. Consider alternatives like "sensed something" or "anticipated that" for more formal tones.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

intuitively knew

Stresses knowledge gained through intuition rather than logic.

sensed something

Focuses on intuitive perception, similar to having a feeling.

had a hunch

Implies an intuitive guess or feeling based on limited evidence.

suspected as much

Indicates a prior suspicion that aligns with subsequent events.

anticipated that

Highlights the expectation of something before it occurs.

felt in my bones

Expresses a deep, instinctive feeling about something.

had a premonition

Emphasizes a strong intuitive feeling about a future event, often negative.

somehow foresaw

Suggests seeing or knowing something in advance, often vaguely.

wasn't surprised

Indicates that an event aligned with prior expectations or feelings.

expected it all along

Shows a sense of inevitability and preparedness for a particular outcome.

FAQs

How can I use "had a feeling" in a sentence?

You can use "had a feeling" to express an intuition or premonition about something. For example, "I "had a feeling" that the project would be successful, and it was".

What's a more formal way to say "had a feeling"?

In formal contexts, you might use phrases like "anticipated", "suspected", or "intuitively knew" instead of ""had a feeling"".

Is it appropriate to use "had a feeling" in academic writing?

While generally acceptable, using ""had a feeling"" in academic writing depends on the context. It's often better to use more precise language unless you're specifically discussing subjective experiences.

What are some nuances between "had a feeling" and "had a hunch"?

"Had a feeling" generally implies a more emotional or intuitive sense, while "had a hunch" suggests a guess based on limited information. Both express a lack of concrete evidence, but the former leans towards intuition.