Pleasure
n.joyful, kindwarm
Meaning 1
A feeling of enjoyment, satisfaction, or delight.
Reach for it when naming a positive feeling produced by an experience or thought
The first clear birdsong gave her a quiet sense of pleasure.
Choose between these
5- everyday
when positive experience is the straightforward meaning
not when Enjoyment often lasts through an activity, while pleasure may be a brief feeling.
- warm
when joy is vivid and animated
not when Delight is stronger than quiet or bodily pleasure.
- warm
when happiness is deeper and more expansive
not when Joy overstates mild sensory enjoyment or courteous approval.
- professional
when fulfillment follows a result or standard being met
not when Satisfaction can be cool and cognitive rather than pleasurable.
- formal
when a desire or effort receives its reward
not when The word can imply self-indulgence or only short-term reward.
Meaning 2
An activity or experience enjoyed for its own sake.
Reach for it when naming something personally enjoyable rather than useful or obligatory
Walking the old canal at dawn was one of his simplest pleasures.
Choose between these
4- playful
when an enjoyable experience feels special or indulgent
not when A routine sustaining pleasure may not be occasional or luxurious.
- everyday
pastime
when an activity fills leisure agreeably
not when A pastime may relieve boredom without giving notable pleasure.
- formal
when the pleasure involves allowing oneself something extra
not when It can carry judgment and does not fit simple healthy enjoyment.
- literary
when the source of enjoyment deserves warm emphasis
not when The same word can ambiguously name the feeling rather than its source.
Said against
4- pain
- displeasure
- chore
- misery
It naturally appears in
4- great pleasure
It gave the apprentices great pleasure to see the bridge used again.
- simple pleasure
Fresh bread at the open window remained her favorite simple pleasure.
- take pleasure in
He could take pleasure in the progress without claiming the work was finished.
- pleasure to meet
It was a pleasure to meet the engineers who designed the original pump.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English noun sense: a feeling of enjoyment or satisfaction opens in a new tab for meaning 1 · retrieved 2026-07-26
- wiktionary, English noun sense: a source or occasion of enjoyment opens in a new tab for meaning 2 · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.