1
: desire, inclination
wait upon his pleasure—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare2
: a state of gratification
3
a
: sensual gratification
b
: frivolous amusement
4
: a source of delight or joy
pleasured; pleasuring
ˈplezh-riŋ 
ˈplāzh-;
ˈple-zhə-,
ˈplā-
Examples of pleasure in a Sentence
Noun
I paint for the sheer pleasure of it.
His grandparents took great pleasure in seeing him graduate from college.
Is this trip for business or pleasure?
It is a special pleasure for me to be here with you today.
Now I can enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like spending time with my family.
Verb
a wine that is sure to pleasure even the most discriminating palate
Recent Examples on the Web
Aleksandra Crapanzano, The Atlantic, 27 Oct. 2025
Sharing in your memories is our pleasure.
—James Factora, Them., 27 Oct. 2025
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
The series also shows Ed pleasuring himself while wearing women’s undergarments.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pleasure
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Noun
These are serious temples of pleasure, with irresistible aromas wafting out and window displays beckoning with equal measures of art and enticement.
—Aleksandra Crapanzano, The Atlantic, 27 Oct. 2025
Sharing in your memories is our pleasure.
—James Factora, Them., 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Maybe not for the straight women on these couches who are only engaging in three to eight minutes of missionary and then turning the light out, but there are all sorts of things people can do to pleasure each other.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
The series also shows Ed pleasuring himself while wearing women’s undergarments.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pleasure
Cite this Entry
“Pleasure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pleasure. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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