discontent

1 of 4

adjective

dis·​con·​tent ˌdis-kən-ˈtent How to pronounce discontent (audio)
: dissatisfied, discontented
voters growing increasingly discontent

discontent

2 of 4

noun (1)

: lack of satisfaction with one's possessions, status, or situation : lack of contentment:
a
: a sense of grievance : dissatisfaction
the winter of our discontentWilliam Shakespeare
b
: restless aspiration (see aspiration sense 1a) for improvement

discontent

3 of 4

verb

discontented; discontenting; discontents

transitive verb

: to make dissatisfied or discontented
were discontented by the decision
discontentment noun

discontent

4 of 4

noun (2)

: one who is dissatisfied or discontented : malcontent

Examples of discontent in a Sentence

Adjective Polls show that voters are growing increasingly discontent. a novel about a woman who is desperately discontent with the stifling limitations of her small-town life Noun (1) the rebels worked to stir up discontent among the citizens Verb the ongoing lack of decent food discontented and demoralized the soldiers in the rebel army
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.
Adjective
Ishiba’s cabinet approval rating dropped to an all-time low of 27.4%, as voters grow increasingly discontent with the administration’s failure to address soaring rice prices and rejection of consumption tax cuts in response to rising inflation, according to a Kyodo News poll released Sunday. Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 21 May 2025 Yet there has been discontent among the fanbase at the steady trickle of youthful talent exiting the club this summer. Andy Jones, The Athletic, 24 Aug. 2024
Noun
More Alex Kent/Getty Images Puerto Rico Takes To the Street In an unusual move, Puerto Rico took part in national U.S. protests, demonstrating against Trump and his policies, taking to the streets of San Juan to express their discontent about the president's immigration policies. Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025 Michael Ochs Archives--Getty Images The riot begins Stone channeled all of these discontents into There’s a Riot Goin’ On. Andrew R. Chow, Time, 10 June 2025
Verb
Just as small actions build routine, ignored cues let discontent harden into isolation. Dilan Gomih, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025 Unfortunately, many employees are feeling detached from and discontented with their work. Mick Hunt, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for discontent

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1581, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1549, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1598, in the meaning defined above

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Discontent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discontent. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

discontent

1 of 3 adjective
dis·​con·​tent ˌdis-kən-ˈtent How to pronounce discontent (audio)

discontent

2 of 3 verb
: to make discontented
discontentment
-mənt
noun

discontent

3 of 3 noun
: the condition of being dissatisfied

More from Merriam-Webster on discontent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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