enjoy
Americanverb (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.
-
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
-
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
Other Word Forms
- enjoyable adjective
- enjoyableness noun
- enjoyably adverb
- enjoyer noun
- enjoyingly adverb
- preenjoy verb (used with object)
- reenjoy verb (used with object)
- unenjoyed adjective
- unenjoying adjective
- unenjoyingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of enjoy
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English enjoyen “to make joyful,” from Old French enjoier “to give joy to”; 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.
They want to enjoy themselves, despite all that’s happening in the world.
From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026
Seeking an end to forced labor, they demanded economic justice and the right to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026
If LJ is confident, then that is what we want, because we want her to enjoy herself, to play with freedom.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
“We love you, Turnstile loves you and enjoy the ride,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
“How nice! We will enjoy it! Now, do come in.”
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
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.
