Difference Between Since and Sense

Since vs Sense

Homonyms can often cause confusion in a conversation, particularly when two words that sound the same can be used in the same sentence. Saying “That plane has a plain paint job” or “The king’s reign of three decades managed to rein in the collapse of the kingdom” can lead to befuddled looks from those who hear them. The words “since” and “sense” are homonyms that fall under this category; sounding nearly the same but having completely different usages.

The word “since” is often associated with time, particularly something that happened in the past. It is most commonly used as an adverb to express something that occurred previously but whose effects continue to the present. For example: “Since he nearly drowned as a boy, John has had a fear of getting even near a kiddie pool.” In the same vein, it can be used as a preposition in referring to an event that has been constant since a past event or time frame. For example: “He has been like that since grade school.”

Another use of the word “since” which is not necessarily based on the past is as a conjunction which implies that something is because of something else. For example: “Since your company’s rules state you cannot be involved in activities that would lead to a conflict of interest, your application has been declined.” On the other hand, “sense” is more commonly used as a noun. It is often in reference to one or all of the five forms of perception: sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. Most of the time, it is used as an indication of the function of the said perception. For instance: “Her sense of smell is amazingly accurate!” Another usage of the word “sense” as a noun is in reference to the mind or understanding. That is why there are expressions such as a person having a “sense of humor” or “common sense.” An example of usage in a sentence of this is “Lisa’s sense of timing is impeccable, arriving just as the plane is about to arrive.” Opinions and judgment can also be represented with the noun form of ”sense”; for instance, saying “Her sense of justice knows no bounds” obviously does not refer to any of the physical senses but to the belief or position the person has about the concept of justice.

In relation to using the word “sense” as a noun referring to the five senses, it is also used as a verb to indicate using these forms of perception. Examples can be “That dog’s ears can sense a raccoon from a mile away” or “The ranger sensed a sudden change in the temperature.” On the other hand, it can also be used as a verb to refer to “picking things up” and understanding the meaning of things. For example, “She didn’t sense the loneliness in his being.”

Using the words “since” and “sense” together in a sentence can be a little tricky but not too difficult to understand the meaning. For example, “Since the Renaissance, artists have evolved their creative sense.” Another example can be: “Clark’s sense of hearing has continuously become more acute since hitting puberty.”

To conclude, it is not really that difficult to discern the differences between these two words. Knowing that “since” is mainly used as an adverb in reference to time while “sense” is often used as a noun or verb makes a lot of difference. In fact, simply remembering that “since” is used in reference to a past occurrence and that “sense” is used to indicate a perception is sufficient to avoid misusing or misunderstanding their meaning in conversations or other forms of communication.

Summary:

1.“Since” is generally used as an adverb of time but can also be used as a preposition or as a conjunction.
2.“Sense” is often used as a noun in reference to the different forms of perception, reasoning, and understanding.
3.When used as a verb, the word “sense” relates to the ability or function of perception.

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