The citizens were seething with contentment

1

: the quality or state of being contented

There was a look of contentment on her face.

2

: something that contents

… states that allow their muscles to spoil them and their contentments to enfeeble them.

The citizens were seething with contentment
The New Republic

Synonyms

Example Sentences

He believes that people can find peace and contentment in living simply. There was a look of perfect contentment on her face.

Recent Examples on the Web Winter, in short, gave him pause to hunker down and heave long sighs of contentment now that the heavy lifting of summer had receded to a memory. Robert Klose, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Nov. 2022 When your life is a perfect carnival of contentment, like mine is, there’s nothing to add. Alex Baia, The New Yorker, 22 Nov. 2022 Fans of Cleye’s have superimposed his singing face among scenes of contentment and unbothered energy. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2022 Research suggests slow blinks are associated with a positive emotional state and can be a sign of trust, contentment and affection, similar to a human smile. Emily Blackwell, CNN, 18 Oct. 2022 The singer-songwriter’s newest album continues the artist’s trend toward optimism—finding its groove through songs about contentment and joy alongside glimmers of doubt. Mark Richardson, WSJ, 11 Oct. 2022 Happiness is, by definition, an emotional state characterized by feelings of joy, satisfaction, contentment and fulfillment—ultimately, its aims look different for each person. Rae Witte, Chron, 3 Sep. 2022 Nicotine stimulates a surge of adrenaline in the brain while indirectly producing a flood of dopamine, the chemical that promotes feelings of contentment and relaxation. New York Times, 2 Aug. 2022 That's been shown to boost self-esteem and contentment and improve moods for people with dementia. Next Avenue, Forbes, 15 Apr. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'contentment.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English contentement "satisfaction of a claim or debt," borrowed from Anglo-French, from contenter "to satisfy, content entry 3" + -ment -ment

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of contentment was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near contentment

Cite this Entry

“Contentment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contentment. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

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Last Updated: 3 Dec 2022 - Updated example sentences

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Merriam-Webster unabridged

What is the true meaning of contentment?

Contentment is an emotional state of satisfaction that can be seen as a mental state drawn from being at ease in one's situation, body and mind. Colloquially speaking, contentment could be a state of having accepted one's situation and is a milder and more tentative form of happiness.

What is the sentence of contentment?

Example Sentences He believes that people can find peace and contentment in living simply. There was a look of perfect contentment on her face.

What is the meaning of self contentment?

1. satisfaction with oneself; self-complacency. adjective. 2. content with oneself; self-satisfied.

What is an example of contentment?

When you feel content, you're likely grateful for the present's small pleasures. For example, I'm often grateful for my cat and my books.