hedonism

[heed-n-iz-uhm]

noun

1. the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good.

2. devotion to pleasure as a way of life.

   The later Roman emperors were notorious for their hedonism.

   Synonyms: carousal, dissipation, debauchery, libertinism, sensualism
   Antonyms: self-denial, abstemious, asceticism, puritanism

hedonism

/ ˈhɛd-, ˈhiːdəˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. ethics

   1. the doctrine that moral value can be defined in terms of pleasure See utilitarianism

   2. the doctrine that the pursuit of pleasure is the highest good

2. the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of principle

3. indulgence in sensual pleasures

hedonism

1. In ethics, the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good in life. Some hedonists, such as the Epicureans, have insisted that pleasure of the entire mind, not just pleasure of the senses, is this highest good.

Other Word Forms

• hedonic adjective
• hedonist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hedonism¹

First recorded in 1855–60; from Greek hēdonḗ “pleasure, enjoyment” + -ism

Word History and Origins

Origin of hedonism¹

C19: from Greek hēdonē pleasure

Example Sentences

The hedonism of the music, rooted in club and drug culture, was often at odds with the band's pronouncements between songs.

From BBC

But it's a carefully crafted and nuanced record, where hedonism gives way to vulnerability, as she describes the doubts she has over friendships, motherhood and commercial success.

From BBC

Dyer says looking back is "awful" and that his days of "hedonism" and "mad behaviour" are over.

From BBC

A masculine hedonism sits between them, but Guiraudie is reticent to confirm the nature of their relationship.

From Salon

Koh Samui, Thailand, where Season 3 of "The White Lotus" is set, is where grace and spirituality scrape against snake shows and sensual hedonism.

From Salon