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Difference between In a sense and In the sense

in a sense

1. in a way; to some extent:

  • Mass and energy are equivalent, and mass is to be regarded in a sense as a concentrated source of energy.

2. in some respect:

  • Everything in that conversation would be true, in a sense, although palpably not true in another.

3. in the meaning:

  • Antiphrasis—a figure of speech by which words are used in a sense opposite to their proper meaning.

in the sense — = in a sense 3:

  • For what it’s worth, I’ve heard this word used in the sense in question in everyday conversations.