enjoy
Americanverb (used with object)
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to experience with joy; take pleasure in.
He enjoys Chinese food.
- Synonyms:
- savor, relish, fancy, appreciate
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to have and use with satisfaction; have the benefit of.
He enjoys an excellent income from his trust funds.
-
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.
verb
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to receive pleasure from; take joy in
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to have the benefit of; use with satisfaction
-
to have as a condition; experience
the land enjoyed a summer of rain
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archaic to have sexual intercourse with
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to have a good time
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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enjoyablenessnoun
-
enjoyernoun
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enjoyableadjective
-
unenjoyedadjective
-
unenjoyingadjective
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enjoyablyadverb
-
enjoyinglyadverb
-
unenjoyinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
enjoysimple
-
enjoyssimple
-
have enjoyedperfect
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has enjoyedperfect
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am enjoyingprogressive
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are enjoyingprogressive
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is enjoyingprogressive
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have been enjoyingperfect progressive
-
has been enjoyingperfect progressive
Past
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enjoyedsimple
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had enjoyedperfect
-
was enjoyingprogressive
-
were enjoyingprogressive
-
had been enjoyingperfect progressive
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.
Vocabulary lists containing enjoy
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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.
The decline “just leaves more cash in people’s pockets to go and spend on other goods and services to actually enjoy their vacation,” Knightley said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026
Yes, yes, 250 years, congratulations, enjoy the cake.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2026
I'd rather stay here and enjoy my years at McLaren than maybe choose to go somewhere else where I could have a better chance.
From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026
All the little nooks and crannies of our lives enjoy Fourth Amendment protections.
From Slate • Jul. 1, 2026
“Well, Ida,” she said, “there are different times for different things. I’ll let you know when it’s time for each thing. Why don’t you just relax and enjoy the day.”
From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan
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.
