contentment
Americannoun
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the state of being contented; satisfaction; ease of mind.
-
Archaic. the act of making contentedly satisfied.
Synonym Usage
See happiness.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of contentment
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English contentement, from Middle French; see content 2 ( def. ), -ment ( def. )
Compare meaning
How does contentment compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Contentment is the state of being happy and satisfied. On Thanksgiving when you think about all you are grateful for, hopefully you feel a sense of contentment. If not, have another piece of pie and then you’ll feel contentment. Contentment isn’t an excited kind of happy, it’s more like a peaceful ease of mind. It’s being satisfied with what you have, whatever that is. You might feel a sense of contentment knowing you have a cup of hot chocolate and a good movie to look forward to tonight. Or you might experience contentment thinking about the vast estate you just purchased in the Hamptons. Whatever is going on in your life, you’re pleased about it.
Vocabulary lists containing contentment
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
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Words for the International Day of Happiness
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Excerpts from "To Kill a Mockingbird"
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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.
“I have found and carved out this peace for myself and for my family, and it brings me so much joy and contentment and clarity and grounding,” she said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
Today’s ice swimmers rave about the rush and subsequent feelings of alertness, contentment and energy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
This, then, became the happiest of “Pulcinellas” for its existential sense of contentment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
Who doesn’t yearn to clean up their mistakes and find some semblance of happiness, even when contentment seems so far out of reach?
From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2026
He did not want to think of it now, in his contentment; but sometimes he looked at her, and it seemed that his Helen, the real Helen, had moved away.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
