atmosphere
noun
general feeling in a place
ADJ. calm, congenial, convivial, cosy, family, friendly, happy, homely, informal, pleasant, relaxed, warm, welcoming | (highly) charged, emotional, heavy, hostile, oppressive, stifling, strained, tense | carnival, electric, heady, lively Before the parade, the atmosphere was electric.| intimate, romantic | gloomy | rarefied, unique the rarefied atmosphere of academic life
VERB + ATMOSPHERE create She tries to create an atmosphere of calm and security for her children.| poison, ruin, sour, spoil His blunt comments really soured the atmosphere.| clear, improve, lighten His funny remarks lightened the atmosphere.| be aware of, be sensitive to, sense She could sense the hostile atmosphere in the room.
ATMOSPHERE + VERB be charged (with sth) The atmosphere was charged with excitement.| pervade sth, prevail A relaxed atmosphere prevails in the club.
PREP. ~ between Since their argument there had been a strained atmosphere between them.
the air
ADJ. heavy, humid, oppressive, polluted, smoky, stale, stifling, stuffy
VERB + ATMOSPHERE poison, pollute Pesticides can kill wildlife and pollute the atmosphere.| clear Last night's storm had cleared the atmosphere.
gases around the earth
ADJ. lower, upper
VERB + ATMOSPHERE enter, leave, re-enter The spaceship should re-enter the earth's atmosphere later today.| be emitted/released into, escape into Dangerous gases have escaped into the upper atmosphere.
PREP. in the ~ levels of radiation in the atmosphere
