1
as in enjoyment
the feeling experienced when one's wishes are met
nothing gives me more pleasure than a hot meal after a long day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in joy
a source of great satisfaction
the new car is a real pleasure to drive
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in delight
someone or something that provides amusement or enjoyment
a good-humored girl who's a pleasure to be around
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to delight
to give satisfaction to
a wine that is sure to pleasure even the most discriminating palate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pleasure
Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
Trump wrongly said MacDonough was appointed by former President Barack Obama (Senate parliamentarians are hired by the Senate Secretary, who is elected by the Senate, and serve at the pleasure of the majority leader).
—Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
In an early draft, Judy had written a scene in which Sandy uses her dog to pleasure herself.
—Mark Oppenheimer, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pleasure
Noun
Objects in the line include the Scacco Matto chess set, the Cincin aperitivo kit, the Tante Luci basket and the Buongiorno picnic basket — all expressing the brand’s philosophy of favoring conviviality and simple daily pleasures.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
Trump wrongly said MacDonough was appointed by former President Barack Obama (Senate parliamentarians are hired by the Senate Secretary, who is elected by the Senate, and serve at the pleasure of the majority leader).
—Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Verb
Sophie has spent so long this season being a role of service, and for Benedict to now be washing her hair and then pleasuring her felt like a really nice switcheroo that Sophie deeply deserved.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
In an early draft, Judy had written a scene in which Sandy uses her dog to pleasure herself.
—Mark Oppenheimer, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pleasure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasure
Noun
-
Sitting close to Warriors guard and Valkyries superfan Brandin Podziemski, not even 3-2 Giants loss could detract from her enjoyment of a beautiful day by the water.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
But for your indoor enjoyment, there are hundreds of varieties to choose from.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Even joy is documented in real time, filtered, posted, and measured back through engagement metrics.—
Desjah Altvater,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
-
The obvious joy, curiosity, irreverence, and rollicking humor Holland and Sandbrook display while spelunking into the past brings electricity and life to events both near and long distant.—
Sean Woods,
Rolling Stone,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
Much like Hawaii and Vietnam, the Philippines is well known for culinary delights born of colonization.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2026
-
But there were more delights above ground with the two pools, and the Krug Champagne terrace on the rooftop, offering a different but no less necessary kind of therapy.—
Jamie Timson,
TheWeek,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Still, a gas tax suspension remains a go-to solution for vote-maximizing politicians eager to please their constituents.—
Joseph Thorndike,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
Also new at this Cote is a luxe japchae, whose ingredients are wheeled in on a beautiful cart bearing little bowls—noodles, vegetables julienned to pleasing uniformity, and a frankly enormous portion of sweet Alaskan-king-crab meat.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Miller knelt down in the middle of it all with a wry look of contentment.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
-
These muted in-between tones promote quiet contentment, versus the excitement stirred by pure red or yellow.—
Petra Guglielmetti,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
Joe Kottke Joe Kottke is an assignment editor at NBC News covering domestic news, including politics, immigration, crime, entertainment and severe weather.—
Joe Kottke,
NBC news,
27 May 2026
-
Nevertheless, California remains the home to the tech sector, entertainment industry, and an agricultural economy that feeds the country.—
Doug Mccauley,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Modern Pentathlon has held a continuous place in the Olympic Games since 1912, constantly evolving over the decades to satisfy the viewing preferences of sports fans around the world.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
26 May 2026
-
Under federal law, Social Security retirement and disability benefits generally cannot be garnished by private creditors to satisfy consumer debts.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Far more often, this decline in satisfaction can be attributed to life itself.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
-
Chaac alleged that prior to Dragontail’s 2024 deployment in New York, the franchisee was among Pizza Hut’s best-performing operators in delivery times, customer satisfaction, and sales growth.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pleasure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasure. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
