hedonism
noun
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Definition of hedonism
1 : the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life
2 : a way of life based on or suggesting the principles of hedonism she was a perfect specimen of selfish hedonism— Donald Armstrong
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Other Words from hedonism
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noun
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adjective
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adverb
Synonyms & Antonyms for hedonism
Synonyms
carnality, debauchery, sensuality, voluptuousness
Antonyms
abstinence, asceticism, sobriety, temperance
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Examples of hedonism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Grandmaster’s evilness stems entirely from his hedonism. — Anna Peele, GQ, "Introducing the Sexy Villain Matrix," 3 May 2018 Punk hedonism and good old American ingenuity never looked better, nor ruffled feathers so effectively. — David Pagel, latimes.com, "For Kitty Brophy, freedom from authority in some wickedly sensuous lines," 17 Apr. 2018 But that doesn't quite convey the machismo, the serious drugs, the hedonism, the wild debauchery of the life. — Deirdre Donahue, USA TODAY, "Our review: Anthony Bourdain's 'Kitchen Confidential' captured restaurants' demented glory," 8 June 2018 In the 1980s, the gay community's anguished response to the AIDS crisis made the insular hedonism of Crowley's characters seem trivial. — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, "'The Boys in the Band': Theater Review," 1 June 2018 In 1977, Studio 54 and its founders, Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell, epitomized New York hedonism. — Billboard Staff, Billboard, "Tribeca Film Festival: Music-Themed Docs Spotlight Studio 54, Ed Sheeran, Blue Note Records," 7 Mar. 2018 Mao Zedong said, but this revolution was also a party, and left behind a legacy of hedonism. — New York Times, "Dystopia, Apocalypse, Culture War: 2018 or 1968?," 17 May 2018 Since 2000, rock has given way at the center of the conversation to other forms; now hip-hop, with all its outrage and hedonism, is the voice of popular culture. — Mikael Wood, latimes.com, "At the Forum, U2 had the 1990s — when Bono was MacPhisto — on its mind," 16 May 2018 Although the backdrop is one of vivid wealth and socially sanctioned hedonism, Patrick's suffering is, at its core, the same as anyone else's. — Hank Stuever, chicagotribune.com, "'Patrick Melrose' is the Cumberbatch-iest show ever made - and that's a good thing," 10 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hedonism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for hedonism
hedonism
noun
English Language Learners Definition of hedonism
: the belief that pleasure or happiness is the most important goal in life
See the full definition for hedonism in the English Language Learners Dictionary
hedonism
noun
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Medical Definition of hedonism
: the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life
Other Words from hedonism
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noun
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adjective
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adverb
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