hedonism
noun
Donald Armstrong
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The Modern Definition of Hedonism
When hedonism first appeared in English in the middle of the 19th century, it referred to the doctrines of certain schools of philosophy in ancient Greece (such as the Epicureans and Cyrenaics), who held that happiness or pleasure constituted the chief goal in life. As used today, the word frequently carries a judgmental tinge. If someone is described as living a life of hedonism, the implication is that he or she derives happiness from debauchery rather than, say, spending quality time with family or forming meaningful relationships at work. Hedonism comes from the Greek hēdonē (“pleasure”), which also provides the root of the word anhedonia (“a psychological condition characterized by inability to experience pleasure in normally pleasurable acts”).
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Examples of hedonism in a Sentence
Caroline Madden, Vulture, 8 July 2024
Gaga revisits The Fame’s hedonism with a tad more sophistication and, via Zedd, upgraded production.
—Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024
So, yeah, that was born out of a particular winter of hedonism—and one wild trip to Magaluf.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2024
Looking to elicit this spirit in the audience, Giorgetti put together the work of six artists retracing the carefree lifestyle of the Riviera through the years and the hedonism of Riccione’s heyday.
—Sandra Salibian, WWD, 2 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Hedonism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hedonism. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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hedonism
noun
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