hedonism

play

noun he·do·nism \ ˈhē-də-ˌni-zəm \

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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hedonist

play \ˈhē-də-nist\ noun

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hedonistic

play \ˌhē-də-ˈni-stik\ adjective

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hedonistically

play \ˌhē-də-ˈni-sti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See hedonism defined for English-language learners

Examples of hedonism in a Sentence

their spring break trip to Mexico became an exercise in heedless hedonism

Recent Examples of hedonism from the Web

Frivolity, aestheticism, hedonism, cynicism, pessimism, narcissism, consumerism, materialism, nihilism, fatalism and fanaticism . .

— henry porter, The Hive, "Donald Trump, Theresa May, and the End of Government as We Know It," 14 Aug. 2017
Options: A nearly $11,000 gaggle of safety electronics and hedonism only hinted at in the Book of Much.

— al haas, Philly.com, "Not just a pretty face, this new Lincoln MKZ," 4 Aug. 2017
At a time when hedonism, braggadocio and party anthems were the order of the day in rap, the song would help form the bedrock of socially conscious hip hop later popularized by acts like N.W.A. and Public Enemy.

— jordan runtagh, PEOPLE.com, "The Tragedy of Kidd Creole: A Rap Pioneer’s Descent into Alleged Murder," 3 Aug. 2017
Standard safety gear and hedonism included blind-spot detection with cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, power sunroof, and leather seating.

— al haas, Philly.com, "Hyundai has come a long way with its outstanding Ioniq Hybrid," 14 July 2017
The Championships at Wimbledon, which consumes some 28 tons of strawberries, 10,000 litres of cream, and 320,000 glasses of Pimm's per year, is notable for its seemingly unchecked luxuriant hedonism.

— sebastian anthony, Ars Technica, "Wimbledon 2017: The tech behind the world’s top tennis tournament," 13 July 2017
For the brothers, this meant a new life — of hedonism.

— benjamin wallace, Daily Intelligencer, "The Culthopping Twins Who Have Been Evangelicals, Rappers, and Digital Nomads," 12 July 2017
Here's the thing, the Grateful Dead in the public imagination, now, has become this cartoon that’s all about feeling good and hedonism and dancing bears.

— karen bliss, Billboard, "Grateful Dead Doc Director on Hating the Term 'Jam Band' & Why So Few Women Are In the Film," 2 June 2017
And if that song’s famous shaker of salt remains lost, fans of the man and his brand of breezy, beachy hedonism still may have found their ideal escape. ‘

— james hebert, sandiegouniontribune.com, "'Escape to Margaritaville' goes down easy at La Jolla Playhouse," 29 May 2017

These 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.

The Modern Definition of hedonism

When hedonism first appeared in English in the middle of the 19th century, it referred to the doctrines of certain schools of philosophy in ancient Greece (such as the Epicureans and Cyrenaics), who held that happiness or pleasure constituted the chief goal in life. As used today, the word frequently carries a judgmental tinge. If someone is described as living a life of hedonism, the implication is that he or she derives happiness from debauchery rather than, say, spending quality time with family or forming meaningful relationships at work. Hedonism comes from the Greek hēdonē (“pleasure”), which also provides the root of the word anhedonia (“a psychological condition characterized by inability to experience pleasure in normally pleasurable acts”).