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
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 The decision to put an end date on Tuchel’s time at Bayern, in many ways, feels like a band-aid to calm down both the dressing room and also an increasingly discontent fan scene. Manuel Veth, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Noun
With this knowledge, the government could exploit discontent, foster instability, and leverage dissent against Soviet policies. Time, 20 May 2025 This is when the film takes a turn for the paranormal, with Uma’s affliction — and its nastier nighttime expressions — serving as a metaphor for her discontents. Natalia Winkelman, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Verb
Meanwhile, Paramount heiress Shari Redstone’s desire to settle the lawsuit to help facilitate a merger has led to discontent within CBS. Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 7 May 2025 Job fears Workers also are growing discontented with their situations. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 1 May 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 25 May. 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

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