contented

adjective

con·​tent·​ed kən-ˈten-təd How to pronounce contented (audio)
: feeling or showing satisfaction with one's possessions, status, or situation
a contented smile
They lived a contented life.
contentedly adverb
contentedness noun

Example Sentences

She felt peaceful and contented. having had her fill of candy, the contented girl sank back into the easy chair and dozed off
Recent Examples on the Web As proof, the shelter offered up a carousel of Dutchess's family life, including shots of the dog frolicking in the great outdoors and hanging out indoors with two contented-looking cats and another canine friend. Wendy Geller, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2023 Proponents like Birbaumer say that patients can lead contented lives, even if they’re locked in. Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 25 Mar. 2022 But that conference framed a false dichotomy that continues to this day, between a healthy environment and idyllic, contented farmers on one side and a high yielding agriculture on the other. Keith Kloor, Discover Magazine, 8 Feb. 2014 The first sign that all is not well despite what appears to be a contented existence comes early, in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene as Marie changes one night. Michael Nordine, Variety, 15 Jan. 2023 After the tumultuous years of the Trump presidency, Matthews had resumed a life of contented anonymity and had no wish to upend it. Luke Broadwater Philip Montgomery, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2022 Kat’s Botanicals understands that every human needs connection along with healthful foods and supplements to keep them in a contented state. Dallas News, 4 Oct. 2022 Today, the Netherlands is a small but wealthy nation with a largely contented people. Almar Latour, WSJ, 2 Dec. 2022 The designer took on Courrèges after a very contented decade-plus spent working for Ghesquière. Mark Holgate, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2022 See More

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from past participle of contenten "to content entry 3"

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of contented was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near contented

Cite this Entry

“Contented.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contented. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

contented

adjective
con·​tent·​ed kən-ˈtent-əd How to pronounce contented (audio)
: satisfied with one's possessions or situation in life
contentedly adverb
contentedness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on contented

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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