enjoyment

/ɪnˈdʒɔɪmənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈdʒɔɪmənt/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈjȯi-mənt en-/ (ame, mw)

enjoyment — noun

1. the happy feeling you have when you do something you like or find interesting

1.名詞A2
釋義

the happy feeling you have when you do something you like or find interesting

例句

The children smiled with real enjoyment as they played in the garden.

collocation: real / pure enjoyment

Salma gets a lot of enjoyment from reading books on long train trips.

collocation: get enjoyment from

同義詞
  • pleasure

    broader term covering any positive feeling, not limited to active participation

  • delight

    stronger and more sudden than enjoyment, often about a specific moment

  • satisfaction

    focuses on fulfillment after achieving something, rather than the active feeling during an activity

反義詞
  • displeasure

    a feeling of being unhappy or annoyed with something

用法筆記

This sense is usually uncountable. Common verb + noun patterns include 'get enjoyment from/out of', 'take enjoyment in', and 'find enjoyment in'.

常見錯誤

❌I felt enjoyment of the movie.
✅I enjoyed the movie.
💡the verb 'enjoy' sounds more natural for expressing that something gave you pleasure; 'enjoyment' as a noun is more commonly used in descriptions of the feeling itself.
❌The enjoyment of the children was big.
✅The children's enjoyment was clear.
💡use descriptive adjectives like 'great', 'clear', 'obvious', or 'pure' with 'enjoyment', not 'big' or 'small'.

2. an activity, experience, or thing that makes you feel happy or satisfied

2.名詞B1
釋義

an activity, experience, or thing that makes you feel happy or satisfied

例句

Gardening is one of grandmother's greatest enjoyments since she stopped working at the shop.

countable noun: one of the greatest enjoyments

Simple enjoyments like walking in the park help Talia relax after work.

collocation: simple enjoyments

同義詞
  • pleasure

    can refer to a specific source of happiness in the same way, but is more general

  • pastime

    specifically an activity that you do regularly for enjoyment

  • delight

    stronger in tone, often implying a source of keen happiness

反義詞
  • chore

    a duty or task that is unpleasant and brings no pleasure

用法筆記

In this sense, 'enjoyment' can be countable (e.g. 'one of my enjoyments is…') when referring to specific pleasurable activities or things. As an uncountable noun, it describes the general concept of pleasurable activities.

常見錯誤

❌Walking is my enjoyment.
✅Walking is one of my enjoyments.' or 'Walking is a source of enjoyment for me.
💡when naming a specific activity that brings pleasure, use the countable form or rephrase with 'source of enjoyment.'

3. the right granted by law to use property or receive its benefits as the owner

3.名詞C1
釋義

the right granted by law to use property or receive its benefits as the owner

例句

The new law protects the public's enjoyment of the city parks and gardens.

legal context: enjoyment of [public resources]

Under the will, the widow has the enjoyment of the house for life.

同義詞
  • use

    simpler, non-legal term for the right to make use of something

  • possession

    focuses on ownership or control rather than the right to benefit from use

反義詞
  • dispossession

    the act of taking away someone's property or right to use it

用法筆記

Frequently appears in formal and legal texts, especially in the phrase 'quiet enjoyment' (the right of a tenant to use property without interference). The subject is usually a person or entity with a legal interest in the property, and the object is typically a type of asset (land, property, rights, benefits).

常見錯誤

❌I have the enjoyment of a car.
✅I have the use of a car.
💡'enjoyment' in the legal sense refers to rights over property or assets, not everyday objects you borrow or use casually.
❌The children had enjoyment of the playground.
✅The children enjoyed the playground.
💡for non-legal, everyday contexts, use the verb 'enjoy' instead of 'enjoyment' in this sense.