pleasure
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /plˈɛʒə/
US
- /ˈplɛʒər/
Description
- enjoyment
- delight
- satisfaction
- something you enjoy
- polite willingness
Pleasure is the good feeling you get when something makes you happy, comfortable, or satisfied. You can feel it from simple things like a good meal, a beautiful sunset, music, or time with people you love. It can also come from doing well at something, reaching a goal, or finishing a hard task. The word can also mean something enjoyable itself, as in "Reading is one of my greatest pleasures." In polite speech, people also use it in phrases like "It's a pleasure to meet you" or "My pleasure."
Pleasure is a feeling of enjoyment, satisfaction, or delight. It is a basic human experience and is usually connected with things that feel good, either in the body or in the mind. We often think of it in connection with physical comfort, like good food, rest, or a warm bath, but it also reaches far beyond that.
You can get pleasure from learning, reading, making art, solving problems, or having a good conversation. It also comes from emotional connection, such as laughing with friends, feeling close to family, or being cared for by someone you trust. In this sense, the word often refers to the feeling itself: "He took great pleasure in helping others."
The word can also be countable. A pleasure is something that gives enjoyment, as in "Travel is one of life's great pleasures." In everyday English, it is also common in polite expressions. You might say "It's a pleasure to meet you" when greeting someone, or "My pleasure" after helping them. These uses do not strongly focus on joy; they often show kindness, respect, or willingness.
People often talk about pleasure when discussing happiness, desire, comfort, and enjoyment in life. Writers, artists, and thinkers have long explored it, sometimes as something good and natural, and sometimes as something that should be balanced with duty or meaning. What brings pleasure to one person may not bring the same feeling to another, so it is deeply personal. At its core, though, the word describes a positive experience that makes life feel richer, warmer, or more rewarding.
Examples
- 1
Cooking
She gets a lot of pleasure from cooking for her friends.
- 2
Small joys
Reading in bed is one of life's small pleasures.
- 3
Meeting people
It was a pleasure to meet your family.
- 4
Polite reply
"Thanks for staying late to help." "My pleasure."
Phrase
My pleasure
a polite reply when someone thanks you
- 5
Mental challenge
He takes pleasure in solving difficult problems.
Pattern
take pleasure in doing something
enjoy doing it
- 6
Travel purpose
Are you traveling for business or pleasure?
Phrase
for pleasure
because you want to enjoy yourself, not for work
- 7
Polite acceptance
She accepted the invitation with pleasure.
Phrase
with pleasure
a polite way to say yes
- 8
Private enjoyment
Watching old cartoons after work is my guilty pleasure.
Phrase
guilty pleasure
something you enjoy but feel a little embarrassed about
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- pleasurenounverb
Forms
- pleasurespluralnounverb
- pleasuring-ing formverbnoun
- pleasuredpast tenseverbnoun