content

1 of 4

noun (1)

con·​tent ˈkän-ˌtent How to pronounce content (audio)
1
a
: something contained
usually used in plural
the jar's contents
the drawer's contents
b
: the topics or matter treated in a written work
table of contents
c
: the principal substance (such as written matter, illustrations, or music) offered by a website
… Internet users have evolved an ethos of free content in the Internet.Ben Gerson
2
c
: the events, physical detail, and information in a work of art compare form sense 10c
The film was rated R for its violent content.
3
a
: the matter dealt with in a field of study
… the content of sociology is inexhaustible …Franklin H. Giddings
b
: a part, element, or complex of parts
4
: the amount of specified material contained : proportion
the sulfur content in coal

content

2 of 4

adjective

con·​tent kən-ˈtent How to pronounce content (audio)
: contented, satisfied
She was content with her life as it was.

content

3 of 4

verb

con·​tent kən-ˈtent How to pronounce content (audio)
contented; contenting; contents

transitive verb

1
: to appease the desires of
… he had been betrayed into a position which neither contented his heart nor satisfied his conscience.Edward Bulwer-Lytton
2
: to limit (oneself) in requirements, desires, or actions
The rainy weather spoiled our plans for the beach, so we had to content ourselves with a relaxing day at home.

content

4 of 4

noun (2)

con·​tent kən-ˈtent How to pronounce content (audio)
: contentment
He ate to his heart's content.

Examples of content in a Sentence

Adjective The baby looks content in her crib. A fancy hotel is not necessary; I'd be content with a warm meal and a clean place to sleep. No, I don't want to play. I'm content to watch. Not content to stay at home, she set off to see the world at the age of 16. Polls show that voters are growing less and less content with the current administration. Verb The toys contented the children, at least for a little while. a person easily contented by life's simple pleasures See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Obituaries are big business because people are captivated by death; this is one reason serial-killer content has turned into such a reliably popular genre. WIRED, 22 Sep. 2023 The new offer means Microsoft can’t limit access to Activision’s key content to its own cloud gaming service or to withhold those games from rivals, the regulator said. Katharine Gemmell, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2023 Starbucks is also facing some heat—in the court of law—for allegedly misrepresenting the fruit content of its Refreshers, said content apparently being zero. Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 22 Sep. 2023 Caitlin O'Kane Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift. Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 22 Sep. 2023 Games are one of the only things that people still have to — and want to — watch live in a world dominated by on-demand content. Melinda Sheckells, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Sep. 2023 Fruit Roll-Ups Urges People Not to Eat the Plastic After Viral TikTok Confuses Viewers One of the first content creators behind the Fruit Roll-Ups ice cream viral treat appears to be Goli Ghavami (@golisdream), who shared her snack on Feb. 25. Nikki Dobrin, Peoplemag, 20 Sep. 2023 With these additions and the hire of a new senior editor, Features will be even more equipped to build content that informs, inspires and engages an online audience. Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2023 Industry leaders, influencers and creators will meet to exchange knowledge and inspiration in the content creation industry. Mckinley Franklin, Variety, 19 Sep. 2023
Adjective
But Murdoch was never content to simply entertain the masses. Zack Sharf, Variety, 21 Sep. 2023 How could anyone tell them to be content with less? Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 18 Sep. 2023 Consumers are content with its performance, reliability, 29 mpg efficiency. cleveland, 16 Sep. 2023 Offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren had been content to not try to stretch the defense. Bill Oram, oregonlive, 3 Sep. 2023 Not simply content to tell radical and revolutionary stories, she’s also helped other women and people of color do the same with her Peabody Award-winning distribution company, Array, which seeks to spotlight emerging filmmakers and promote institutional change across the industry. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 7 Sep. 2023 The Vikings rookie dominated the receiving spotlight for the Trojans last season, but this year’s team is content to thrive on depth. Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2023 While some girls are perfectly content with a basic ponytail and other easy hairstyles 10 year olds can do themselves, there are plenty who like to step it up with braids or next-level pigtails. Blair Donovan, Country Living, 28 Aug. 2023 Automakers are no longer content to grow SUV sales within their respective mass-market brands. Jim Ciaozzo, Car and Driver, 27 Aug. 2023
Verb
For now, absent Sanders or anyone like him running a viable campaign for president, socialists and the broader left will have to content themselves with these kinds of fights. Ross Barkan, The New Republic, 3 Aug. 2023 Those looking for the illusion of movement, or news, must content themselves with Twitter commentary. Anonymous, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 June 2023 The new Max includes a placeholder kids’ profile (which by default allows access only to content with PG and TV-PG ratings or lower) on the start screen for all new subscribers. Todd Spangler, Variety, 26 May 2023 Maybe some unhappy friends would have been perfectly contented as sisters, or married couples as parents and children, who knows. Annie Lord, Vogue, 4 July 2023 The Phillips Collection show features many pictures in vivid color and some that document social issues or the artist’s travels, as well as ones keyed more to composition than to content. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 22 June 2023 That subconsciously they’re contented by the accomplishment of proving detractors wrong and becoming just the fourth team down 3-0 to force a Game 7, joining the 1951 New York Knicks, the 1994 Denver Nuggets, and the 2003 Portland Trail Blazers. Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 29 May 2023 O’Day wasn’t there, so Gamble had to content himself with walking off with a piece of stage gear. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 2 Jan. 2022 Verizon Media, which also owns Yahoo and TechCrunch, have agreed to content syndication deals. Kerry Flynn, CNN, 19 Nov. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'content.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin contentum (usually in plural contenta), noun derivative from neuter past participle of Latin continēre "to hold together, restrain, have as contents" — more at contain

Adjective

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Latin contentus "satisfied," from past participle of continēre "to hold together, restrain, have as contents" — more at contain

Note: The sense "satisfied" of Latin contentus presumably developed from the more literal meaning "self-contained, restrained, held in." This is still somewhat apparent in early uses, as in this passage from Plautus's Poenulus: "ego faxo posthac di deaeque ceteri / contentiores mage erunt atque avidi minus, / quom scibunt, ut Veneri adierit leno manum." ("I will make the other gods and goddesses more restrained (contentiores) and less greedy when they know how the procurer played a trick on Venus.")

Verb

Middle English contenten "to rest satisfied, satisfy," borrowed from Anglo-French contenter "to satisfy," borrowed from Medieval Latin contentāre, verbal derivative of Latin contentus "satisfied" — more at content entry 2

Noun (2)

noun derivative of content entry 2 or content entry 3

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1579, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near content

Cite this Entry

“Content.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/content. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

content

1 of 4 adjective
con·​tent kən-ˈtent How to pronounce content (audio)
: pleased and satisfied with what one has or is

content

2 of 4 verb
: to make content : satisfy

content

3 of 4 noun
: contentment
especially : freedom from care or discomfort

content

4 of 4 noun
con·​tent ˈkän-ˌtent How to pronounce content (audio)
1
a
: something contained
usually used in plural
the contents of a jar
b
: the subject matter or topics treated (as in a book)
table of contents
2
: the essential meaning
I enjoy the rhythm of the poem but I don't understand its content
3
: an amount that is contained or can be contained
oil with a high content of sulfur
the jug has a content of four liters

Medical Definition

content

noun
con·​tent ˈkän-ˌtent How to pronounce content (audio)
1
: something contained
usually used in plural
the stomach contents
2
: the subject matter or symbolic significance of something see latent content, manifest content
3
: the amount of specified material contained
the sulfur content of a sample

More from Merriam-Webster on content

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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