hedonism

noun

he·​do·​nism ˈhē-də-ˌni-zəm 

1

: the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life

2

: a way of life based on or suggesting the principles of hedonism

she was a perfect specimen of selfish hedonism

—Donald Armstrong

Did you know?

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”).

Synonyms

• carnality
• debauchery
• sensuality
• sybaritism
• voluptuousness

Examples of hedonism in a Sentence

the hedonism of an island vacation

Recent Examples on the Web

Wellness Just 10 years ago, one of luxury’s defining hallmarks was hedonism: Dionysian meals, jeroboams of Champagne or late nights in private members’ clubs. —Matteo Atti, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

This unrestrained hedonism transforms her world from mundane black-and-white to glorious color. —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

Word History

Etymology

Greek hēdonē pleasure; akin to Greek hēdys sweet — more at sweet

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hedonism

• egoistic hedonism

Medical Definition

hedonism

noun

he·​do·​nism ˈhēd-ᵊn-ˌiz-əm 

: the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life

hedonist

-ᵊn-əst 

noun

hedonistic

ˌhēd-ᵊn-ˈis-tik 

adjective

hedonistically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb