Synonyms

enjoy

American

[en-joi] / ɛnˈdʒɔɪ /

verb (used with object)

to experience with joy; take pleasure in.

He enjoys Chinese food.

Synonyms:

savor, relish, fancy, appreciate
to have and use with satisfaction; have the benefit of.

He enjoys an excellent income from his trust funds.

Synonyms:

own, possess
to find or experience pleasure for (oneself ).

She seems to enjoy herself at everything she does.
to undergo (an improvement).

Automobile manufacturers have enjoyed a six-percent rise in sales over the past month.
to have intercourse with.

enjoy British

/ ɪnˈdʒɔɪ /

verb

to receive pleasure from; take joy in
to have the benefit of; use with satisfaction
to have as a condition; experience

the land enjoyed a summer of rain
archaic to have sexual intercourse with
to have a good time

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of enjoy

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English enjoyen “to make joyful,” from Old French enjoier “to give joy to”; see en- ¹ ( def. ), joy ( def. )

Explanation

To enjoy something is to take delight or pleasure in something: to have fun doing it. Whatever you like or love, you enjoy. Saying you enjoy something is a major compliment: it means you like it, and it makes you happy. Some people enjoy sports; others enjoy music. TV, movies, books, video games, sunny days, pets, and exercise are enjoyed by many people. Different people enjoy different things. We can also talk about enjoying as a type of advantage. A tall boxer enjoys an advantage because he has a longer reach than a short boxer.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Enjoy it for breakfast or as a snack to help you overcome the 3 p.m. slump.

From Salon • May 24, 2026

Like they say: Enjoy it while you’re young.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

When she sings a middling version of “I Enjoy Being a Girl,” the joke isn’t on her but a society that leaves women so few options.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

"Enjoy yourself - because there's lots of things to not enjoy right now."

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

“If the Isles of Earthsea were all made of diamond, we’d lead a hard life here. Enjoy illusions, lad, and let the rocks be rocks.”

From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023