ambience

noun

am·​bi·​ence ˈam-bē-ən(t)s How to pronounce ambience (audio)
ˈäm-bē-än(t)s
variants or ambiance
Synonyms of ambience
: a feeling or mood associated with a particular place, person, or thing : atmosphere
The restaurant's soft music and candlelight gave it a romantic ambience.

Synonyms of ambience

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of ambience in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Some low-fi chill, or generic spa music, would help the ambience. — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 2 June 2026 Candle sconces are the best way to create a moody, warm, otherworldly sense of ambience. — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 27 June 2026 Penn is more concerned with creating the ambience of a local community ripped apart by devastating crimes than constructing a straightforward thriller. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 9 June 2026 The set measures 33 feet long and comes with 10 shatterproof, weatherproof Edison-style bulbs for the ultimate cozy ambience. — Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ambience

Word History

Etymology

in part from ambi(ent) entry 1 + -ence, in part borrowed from French ambiance (from ambiant "ambient" + -ance -ance)

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ambience was in 1648

Rhymes for ambience

See All Rhymes for ambience

Browse Nearby Words

ambidextrous
ambience
ambiens
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ambience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ambience. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

ambience

noun
am·​bi·​ence
variants or ambiance
ˈam-bē-ən(t)s How to pronounce ambience (audio) ˈäm-bē-än(t)s How to pronounce ambience (audio)
: a feeling or mood that is related to a particular place, person, or thing

More from Merriam-Webster on ambience

Nglish: Translation of ambience for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All