amenity

noun ame·ni·ty \ ə-ˈme-nə-tē , -ˈmē- \

|Updated on: 6 Aug 2018

Definition of amenity

plural amenities

1 : something that helps to provide comfort, convenience, or enjoyment

hotels with modern amenities

providing residents with the basic amenities

2 usually amenities : something (such as a conventional social gesture) that promotes smoothness or pleasantness in social relationships

maintaining social amenities

3 a : the quality of being pleasant or agreeable

b (1) : the attractiveness and value of real estate or of a residential structure

(2) : a feature conducive to such attractiveness and value

See amenity defined for English-language learners

See amenity defined for kids

Examples of amenity in a Sentence

The hotel has every amenity you could want.
an unhappy, bickering couple who, at least in public, observe all the amenities of polite behavior

Recent Examples of amenity from the Web

My kids slept through it after running themselves into exhaustion with new friends, but earplugs are an amenity that should be provided.

— Fortune, "'Glamping' Has Officially Come to New York City," 12 July 2018
My journey ended at Travaasa Hana, where cell phone service was spotty at best, and the crashing waves of Hana Bay acted as a euphoric amenity to the picturesque sea cottages.

— jenn rice, Vogue, "How to Vacation in Maui for Self-Guidance and Healing This Summer," 8 July 2018
But what feels most disturbing to me is that in Brooklyn Bridge Park, history too has become an amenity.

— aaron gilbreath, Longreads, "How Brooklyn Lost Itself," 6 July 2018
In a downtown that has added 1,400 hotel rooms since 2010, and attracted 28 million visitors last year, the scooters can be seen as a lively amenity.

— megan henry, Indianapolis Star, "Hundreds of electric scooters invade downtown Indianapolis; some rejoice, others scratch their heads," 1 July 2018
It is not listed as either an amenity or a neighborhood highlight.

— New York Times, "New Parks Sprout Around New York," 8 June 2018
If there’s any doubt that Municipal Beach is a public amenity that needs to keep its gates open, think about last weekend, when inland temperatures across the Chicago area soared above the 90-degree mark.

— dan moran, Lake County News-Sun, "Moran: Waukegan trucks in 700 tons of sand to fill giant, germy beach puddle," 1 June 2018
Each has its own vibe with differing degrees of remoteness, amenities for tourists, and family-friendliness.

— Condé Nast Traveler, "Car-Free Destinations for Your Next Island Vacation," 1 June 2018
To be certain, Neuman and North and the hotels and restaurants each have opened in the past two decades have shaped the hospitality landscape in Ashland, a town whose existence revolves around amenities for Othello-quoting travelers.

— joe jackson, San Francisco Chronicle, "Pair of hospitality mavens a force in Ashland’s growing dining, lodging landscape," 24 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'amenity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.