Semantic analysis is a process used in natural language processing to understand the meaning of words and phrases in context. It involves examining the relationships between words, their meanings, and how they combine to form coherent ideas. This analysis helps computers interpret human language more accurately, enabling applications like chatbots and search engines to provide relevant responses. By breaking down sentences into their components, semantic analysis can identify synonyms, antonyms, and the overall sentiment of a text. This technique is essential for tasks such as sentiment analysis, machine translation, and information retrieval, allowing for more effective communication between humans and machines.