content
1 Americannoun
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Usually contents.
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something that is contained.
the contents of a box.
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the subjects or topics covered in a book or document.
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the chapters or other formal divisions of a book or document.
a table of contents.
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something that is to be expressed through some medium, as speech, writing, or any of various arts.
a poetic form adequate to a poetic content.
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significance or profundity; meaning.
a clever play that lacks content.
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substantive information or creative material viewed in contrast to its actual or potential manner of presentation.
publishers, record companies, and other content providers; a flashy website, but without much content.
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that which may be perceived in something.
the latent versus the manifest content of a dream.
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Philosophy, Logic. the sum of the attributes or notions comprised in a given conception; the substance or matter of cognition.
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power of containing; holding capacity.
The bowl's content is three quarts.
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volume, area, or extent; size.
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the amount contained.
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Linguistics. the system of meanings or semantic values specific to a language (opposed to expression).
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Mathematics. the greatest common divisor of all the coefficients of a given polynomial.
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any abstraction of the concept of length, area, or volume.
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adjective
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satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.
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British. agreeing; assenting.
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Archaic. willing.
verb (used with object)
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contents,
present (3rd person singular)
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contented,
past participle, past
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contenting
present participle
noun
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the state or feeling of being contented; satisfaction; contentment.
His content was threatened.
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(in the British House of Lords) an affirmative vote or voter.
noun
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(often plural) everything that is inside a container
the contents of a box
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(usually plural)
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the chapters or divisions of a book
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a list, printed at the front of a book, of chapters or divisions together with the number of the first page of each
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the meaning or significance of a poem, painting, or other work of art, as distinguished from its style or form
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all that is contained or dealt with in a discussion, piece of writing, etc; substance
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the capacity or size of a thing
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the proportion of a substance contained in an alloy, mixture, etc
the lead content of petrol
adjective
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mentally or emotionally satisfied with things as they are
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assenting to or willing to accept circumstances, a proposed course of action, etc
verb
noun
interjection
Synonym Usage
See satisfy.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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contentsimple
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contentssimple
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have contentedperfect
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has contentedperfect
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am contentingprogressive
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are contentingprogressive
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is contentingprogressive
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have been contentingperfect progressive
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has been contentingperfect progressive
Past
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contentedsimple
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had contentedperfect
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was contentingprogressive
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were contentingprogressive
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had been contentingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of content1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English (from Anglo-French ), from Medieval Latin contentum, noun use of neuter of Latin contentus (past participle of continēre “to contain”), equivalent to con- “with, together” + ten- “hold” + -tus past participle suffix; see con-
Origin of content2
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin contentus “satisfied,” special use of past participle of continēre; see content 1
Explanation
If you feel content, you're satisfied and happy. The content of a book, movie, or song is what it's about: the topic. This word has two main meanings. The first has to do with being pleased and satisfied (feeling content) or making someone else feel happy and at peace with things (contenting them). The other meaning has to do with subject matter: the content of a history class might be American history. The content of a math class might be geometry. As long as there's a topic or subject, there's content.
Vocabulary lists containing content
Unit 1: Telling Details
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act I
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Unit 1: Telling Details
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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.
See Examples For:
TikTok said while certain content can't be promoted on the For You feed, it's transparent about posts that fall into this category and lets creators know so they can appeal.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
The protection may not be as useful for AI companies because they materially contribute to the content, according to a report by Moody’s Analytics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Dr Carolina Are, a digital criminologist at the London School of Economics who studies social media moderation of women's content, said research shows AI is often used to flag posts that might breach platform guidelines.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
We tend to see Hopper’s pictures now as unique, as central to our sense of early-20th-century America: plainspoken, free of artiness, content to offer a blunt, disquieting vision of our urban lives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
His face isn’t shifty or clever or content.
From "Invisible Inkling" by Emily Jenkins
Dan Turner, coordinator at North East England Beached Bird Surveys said: "We've already seen samples from contents of stomachs of suspected regurgitation which contain nurdles."
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Because those movements are related to the contractions that propel digestive contents through the gut, the sounds can provide clues about gut motility.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 5, 2026
Photos show the car lodged inside the home with a first-floor room and its contents – including boxes of books and bedding – having collapsed on to its roof.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the contents of the alleged messages as extremely serious and unacceptable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
French authorities believed it was impossible for someone to steal the case and open it without destroying the contents.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
It’s a quiet, contented life, “solid and safe,” Livia says, except that she remains disturbed by traumas from her youth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
At Peacefield in Quincy, Mass., Adams spent his final hours contented with the knowledge that it was “the glorious Fourth of July.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
Sturgeon also said she was "contented" and "at peace" with her decision to quit politics.
From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026
Rather, that contented knowing seasons the confidence with which O’Hara shaped all of her women, whether mothers or, like Patty Leigh in “The Studio,” mother figures.
From Salon ● Feb. 4, 2026
Kathy was confident that this would ease her worry, would end with Aisha dropping back into Kathy’s lap, contented and sleepy.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
Verstappen has reeled off four consecutive podium finishes and won three of the last four Austin races, only missing out last year when Ferrari claimed a one-two, contenting himself instead with a sprint race win.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2025
By 2020, Zawahiri had become increasingly distant, contenting himself to write books and essays and only rarely appearing on video.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 1, 2022
He’s been playing it safe in Brooklyn, contenting himself with his Ma, his girlfriend and a modest managerial job at Starbucks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 29, 2020
When it comes to choosing a companion for life we should none of us be contenting ourselves with bare bones; in matters of the heart there really are plenty more fish in the sea.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 14, 2016
For some time Amadis led a life of ease, hunting and feasting, and contenting himself with such news of his lady as he could obtain.
From Legends & Romances of Spain by Lewis Spence
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