hedonistic

adjective

he·​do·​nis·​tic ˌhē-də-ˈni-stik How to pronounce hedonistic (audio)
: devoted to the pursuit of pleasure : of, relating to, or characterized by hedonism
a hedonistic lifestyle
a city known for its wild, hedonistic nightlife
The unabashedly hedonistic Allen pursued the good life for two or three years after leaving Microsoft.David Kirkpatrick
This tiny European island will give you a taste of the fabled hedonistic decadence of the Roman Empire.Lauren Malaika Cooper
hedonistically adverb
living hedonistically

Examples of hedonistic in a Sentence

a hedonistic lifestyle a city known for its hedonistic nightlife
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Etienne’s aesthetic has always trafficked in the conventions of dance-pop, but their songs are hopeful and wide-eyed, avoiding any hints of hedonistic decadence. Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025 In 1972, Hannes (Enzo Brumm), a gangly farm boy adrift in a hedonistic haze of hormones and counterculture, stumbles upon a revelation through his contact with a love interest’s geranium. Leila Latif, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025 Watch Shiva Baby on Netflix Trainwreck Making her film debut, Amy Schumer (who also wrote the screenplay) takes the lead in this 2015 romantic dramedy as Amy Townsend, a carefree, hedonistic magazine writer raised to believe that monogamy is unrealistic. James Mercadante, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025 This is also true of being hedonistic and powerful, although good people were equally powerful or hedonistic than not good people. Dana Taylor, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hedonistic

Word History

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hedonistic was in 1866

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hedonistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hedonistic. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!