DictionaryAI

enjoy

verb
in-JOY/ɪnˈd͡ʒɔɪ/

Formsenjoys, enjoying, enjoyed

5 meanings of enjoy

Practice

  1. 1
    take pleasure inverbtransitive
    To get a happy or good feeling from something you do, see, or have.

    I enjoy reading before bed.

    She enjoyed the concert last night.

    UsageUse -ing after it: enjoy swimming. Add what you enjoyed: I enjoyed it.

    Similarlike, love, relish, savor, appreciate

    Oppositedislike, hate, detest, loathe

  2. 2
    have the benefitverbtransitive
    To have something good, such as health, money, or rights.

    Children in this country enjoy free schooling.

    My grandmother enjoys good health at ninety.

    UsageUsed for good things, like enjoy good health. For bad things, say suffer from or have.

    Similarhave, possess, boast

    Oppositelack

    Note
  3. 3
    verbtransitive or intransitive
    To have a good time. People also say "Enjoy!" when they give you food or something nice.

    We enjoyed ourselves so much at the beach that we stayed till dark.

    Here is your cake. Enjoy!

    UsageSay enjoy yourself to mean have fun: we enjoyed ourselves. Say Enjoy! when you give food.

  4. 4
    verbIndiaintransitive
    To feel pleasure or have a good time.

    We enjoyed a lot at my cousin's wedding last night.

    The kids always enjoy a lot when their grandparents come to stay.

    UsagePeople say we enjoyed a lot here. In most other English, people say we had fun.

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 5
    have sexverbdatedtransitive
    An old, polite way of saying to have sex with someone.

    The old tale says the king enjoyed many women at his court.

    In the story, the duke hopes to enjoy the young widow before the year ends.

    Similarbed

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of enjoy apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Middle English enjoyen, which came from Old French. It was made from en- plus joy.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts