What does "pleasure" mean?
A state of being pleased or contented; gratification.
Pleasure
/ˈplɛʒə/ intj, noun, verb
intj, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A state of being pleased or contented; gratification.
- Grammar: pleasure is listed as intj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: delight, joy, admiration, affability.
- Useful contrasts: deep disgust, dissatisfying, dutch rust.
- Usage evidence: To see you is always a great pleasure.
How to use "pleasure"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pleasure" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pleasure" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pleasure" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pleasure" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pleasure" is acting as intj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "delight" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pleasure", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A state of being pleased or contented; gratification. uncountable
"He remembered with pleasure his home and family."
- 2 sexual gratification wordnet
- 3 A person, thing or action that causes enjoyment. countable
"It was a pleasure to meet you."
- 4 an activity that affords enjoyment wordnet
- 5 Sexual enjoyment. uncountable
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 a formal expression wordnet
- 7 One's preference. uncountable
"What is your pleasure: coffee or tea?"
- 8 something or someone that provides a source of happiness wordnet
- 9 The will or desire of someone or some agency in power. formal, uncountable
"to hold an office at pleasure: to hold it indefinitely until it is revoked"
- 10 a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience wordnet
Verb
- 1 To give or afford pleasure to. transitive
"[H]e / [...] / Had tost his ball and flown his kite, and roll'd / His hoop to pleasure Edith, [...]"
- 2 To give sexual pleasure to. transitive
"Johnny pleasured Jackie with his mouth last night."
- 3 To take pleasure; to seek or pursue pleasure. dated, intransitive
"to go pleasuring"
Intj
- 1 pleased to meet you, "It's my pleasure"
Antonyms
Example
"To see you is always a great pleasure."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pleasure"?
Common synonyms include: delight, joy, admiration, affability, agreeability, agreeableness.
How do you use "pleasure" in a sentence?
To see you is always a great pleasure.
How do you pronounce "pleasure"?
Pronounced /ˈplɛʒə/.
Etymology
From Early Modern English pleasur, plesur, alteration (with ending accommodated to -ure) of Middle English plaisir (“pleasure”), from Old French plesir, plaisir (“to please”), infinitive used as a noun, conjugated form of plaisir or plaire, from Latin placeō (“to please, to seem good”), from the Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂-k- (“wide and flat”). Related to Dutch plezier (“pleasure, fun”). More at please.