enjoy
Americanverb (used with object)
-
enjoys,
present (3rd person singular)
-
enjoyed,
past participle, past
-
enjoying
present participle
-
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.
-
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
-
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
-
to have a good time
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
enjoyablenessnoun
-
enjoyernoun
-
preenjoyverb (used with object)
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reenjoyverb (used with object)
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enjoyableadjective
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unenjoyedadjective
-
unenjoyingadjective
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enjoyablyadverb
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enjoyinglyadverb
-
unenjoyinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
enjoysimple
-
enjoyssimple
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have enjoyedperfect
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has enjoyedperfect
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am enjoyingprogressive
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are enjoyingprogressive
-
is enjoyingprogressive
-
have been enjoyingperfect progressive
-
has been enjoyingperfect progressive
Past
-
enjoyedsimple
-
had enjoyedperfect
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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.
See Examples For:
As for Mr. Huang, his Icarus-like fall has captured public fascination for the same reasons people enjoy reading about the messy lives of celebrities: schadenfreude and shock.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2026
“I used to enjoy going out in my backyard and having a cup of coffee,” he said later.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2026
There was little for him to enjoy on his return to Twickenham, where he was head coach for seven years.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2026
When I’m onstage, I really enjoy talking to people and making them feel like I’m not just playing my set list for the hundredth time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026
We created a beautiful object, and for that we are proud, even if we will not be able to enjoy it.
From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman
Diane Aitken, 45, a fan from Scotland, likens the werewolf- and vampire-themed microdramas she enjoys to 1980s US soaps Dallas or Dynasty "on steroids".
From BBC ● Nov. 8, 2026
The company also enjoys tailwinds such as its operational scale, in-house equipment capabilities and premier land and grid positions, they added.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026
That’s good news for anyone who isn’t partial to splatter flicks or slashers but still enjoys a creep show that makes you think, especially ones that are more thoughtful than scary.
From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2026
The partnership between Campbell and Mr. Webb enjoys a special status in the annals of pop music, and it is discussed often during the program.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
She's not little enough any more to go stark staring mad in the toy department, but she enjoys horsing around and looking at the people.
From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger
"The Government proposes to close a historic park, daily enjoyed by Washingtonians of all stripes, indefinitely," Reyes wrote.
From BBC ● Nov. 15, 2026
Dinosaurs living along ancient coastlines may have enjoyed an unexpected addition to their diets: seaweed and other food from the ocean.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 15, 2026
I enjoyed the first season of “Goliath,” but season 2 quickly entered the realm of body horror.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2026
He enjoyed the work, particularly figuring out how to solve the narrative challenges that come up on soaps—like bringing characters back from the dead.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026
Yet Thucydides’s history and Aristophanes’s plays are still enjoyed to this very day, which proves that, when it comes to liking a good story, people have not changed very much at all.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
On Thursday, dozens of people gathered in the historic centre in front of the Cathedral, enjoying the festive atmosphere ahead of Leo's arrival.
From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2026
In the film version, however, a retired Klara is on a beach surrounded by robot friends, enjoying a very human and communal existence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 8, 2026
"I think there's something special about embracing our inner child and enjoying things simply because they make us happy."
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026
Donald said the season has not gone as expected, but he is enjoying it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
And we were quiet the rest of the way home, just enjoying the breeze that was blowing through the stars.
From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
