pleasurable

adjective

plea·​sur·​able ˈplezh-rə-bəl 

ˈplāzh-;

ˈple-zhə-,

ˈplā-

: causing a feeling of pleasure or enjoyment : pleasant

a pleasurable sensation

pleasurable emotions

the pleasurable effects of a drug

There aren't many more pleasurable activities than shaking your thing in the streets, surrounded by all the sights and sounds of the carnival.

—Time Out

The movie takes you away, and much of the trip is a pleasurable experience, with dazzling visuals, a bright score coupled with insanely catchy pop tunes, and a charismatic cast.

—Ed Johnson-Ott

pleasurability

ˌplezh-rə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

ˌplāzh-;

ˌple-zhə-

ˌplā-

noun

The right varietals and blends take spicy, umami and sweet Asian flavors to an entirely new level of pleasurability for guests …

—Mary Melton

pleasurableness

ˈplezh-rə-bəl-nəs 

ˈplāzh-;

ˈple-zhə-

ˈplā-

noun

… we can attest to the pleasurableness of the New England clam chowder …

—Frank Cohen

pleasurably

ˈplezh-rə-blē 

ˈplāzh-;

ˈple-zhə-

ˈplā-

adverb

Have you ever dug your feet into the warm, soft surface of a white sand beach? Felt the fine, dry grains slide pleasurably between your toes?

—Rafi Letzter

Synonyms

• enjoyable
• pleasant
• delightful
• delicious
• pleasing
• nice
• satisfying
• sweet
• good

Examples of pleasurable in a Sentence

a pleasurable hot bath after a tiring day

a number of pleasurable additions to the state fair this year

Recent Examples on the Web

Crystal or borosilicate glasses are always preferable to more clunky designs as their thin rims make each sip more pleasurable. —Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 10 June 2025

What makes Dazed and Confused so pleasurable is its adherence to a devil-may-care freedom just inside the bounds of believability. —Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 6 June 2025

This is unfortunate given that reading with your child can actually be an extremely relaxing and pleasurable experience, says Sliwerski. —Sherri Gordon, Parents, 14 May 2025

Ethan’s bantering rapport with his close collaborators Luther and Benji (Simon Pegg) is always pleasurable, though it’s limited here by how much time Ethan spends globe-hopping solo. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pleasurable

• measurable
• unmeasurable

Kids Definition

pleasurable

adjective

plea·​sur·​able ˈplezh-(ə-)rə-bəl 

ˈplāzh-

: pleasant sense 1

pleasurably

-blē 

adverb