hedonism
noun
Donald Armstrong
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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”).
Synonyms
Examples of hedonism in a Sentence
Katie Bain, Billboard, 17 May 2024
Filled with hedonism, betrayal, ruthless cruelty, and even murder, the show is a salacious historical romp through one of Italy’s most colorful chapters.
—Cady Lang, TIME, 16 May 2024
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“Hedonism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hedonism. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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hedonism
noun
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