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”).
Synonyms
Examples of hedonism in a Sentence
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
Don Tyson, who died in 2011, was a larger-than-life character whose hedonism was legendary in Arkansas.
—Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 6 Aug. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Hedonism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hedonism. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.
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hedonism
noun
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