anhedonia
noun
an·he·do·nia
ˌan-(ˌ)hē-ˈdō-nē-ə 
-nyə
: a psychological condition characterized by inability to experience pleasure in normally pleasurable acts
Examples of anhedonia in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
What made people with specific musical anhedonia different from the two other groups was how the different regions in the brain communicated with each other.
—
Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2025
Reduced dopamine activity is commonly seen in people suffering from major depressive disorder, particularly in cases involving anhedonia, a condition marked by the inability to feel pleasure even when mood symptoms improve.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, in people with musical anhedonia, MRI scans showed reduced response to music, but not for other pleasures.
—Jay Kakade
august 10, New Atlas, 10 Aug. 2025
At my worst, there was utter loneliness and anhedonia.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 5 Aug. 2025
She was being treated for depression, including different medications, the fourth of which finally helped to address a condition called anhedonia, an inability to experience pleasure.
—Jeff Metcalfe, azcentral, 16 May 2020
But do Carol’s fuguelike depression, Anna’s psychosis and Bonnie’s clenched anhedonia really share DNA?
—Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2020
Another type dampens reward networks, robbing a person of the ability to feel pleasure, a depression symptom called anhedonia.
—Emily Underwood, Science | AAAS, 20 Aug. 2019
How was the anhedonia hypothesis overturned, and when?
—Angela Chen, The Verge, 27 Mar. 2018
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Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2025
Reduced dopamine activity is commonly seen in people suffering from major depressive disorder, particularly in cases involving anhedonia, a condition marked by the inability to feel pleasure even when mood symptoms improve.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, in people with musical anhedonia, MRI scans showed reduced response to music, but not for other pleasures.
—Jay Kakade
august 10, New Atlas, 10 Aug. 2025
At my worst, there was utter loneliness and anhedonia.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 5 Aug. 2025
She was being treated for depression, including different medications, the fourth of which finally helped to address a condition called anhedonia, an inability to experience pleasure.
—Jeff Metcalfe, azcentral, 16 May 2020
But do Carol’s fuguelike depression, Anna’s psychosis and Bonnie’s clenched anhedonia really share DNA?
—Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2020
Another type dampens reward networks, robbing a person of the ability to feel pleasure, a depression symptom called anhedonia.
—Emily Underwood, Science | AAAS, 20 Aug. 2019
How was the anhedonia hypothesis overturned, and when?
—Angela Chen, The Verge, 27 Mar. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Anhedonia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anhedonia. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
anhedonia
noun
an·he·do·nia
ˌan-hē-ˈdō-nē-ə
: a psychological condition characterized by inability to experience pleasure in acts which normally produce it compare analgesia
anhedonic
noun
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