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Definition of content 2 adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

content2

adjective
 
/kənˈtent/
 
/kənˈtent/
[not before noun]
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  1. happy and satisfied with what you have
    • He seemed more content, less bitter.
    • content with something He had to be content with third place.
    • content with doing something Not content with stealing my boyfriend (= not thinking that this was enough), she has turned all my friends against me.
    Synonyms happyhappysatisfied content contented joyful blissfulThese words all describe feeling, showing or giving pleasure.happy feeling, showing or giving pleasure; satisfied with something or not worried about it:
    • a happy marriage/​memory/​childhood
    • I said I’d go, just to keep him happy.
    satisfied pleased because you have achieved something or because something has happened as you wanted it to; showing this:
    • She’s never satisfied with what she’s got.
    • a satisfied smile
    content [not before noun] happy and satisfied with what you have:
    • I’m perfectly content just to lie in the sun.
    contented happy and comfortable with what you have; showing this:
    • a contented baby
    • a long contented sigh
    content or contented?Being contented depends more on having a comfortable life; being content can depend more on your attitude to your life: you can learn to be content with something by changing your attitude to it. People or animals can be contented but only people can be content.joyful (rather formal) very happy; making people very happyblissful making people very happy; showing this happiness:
    • three blissful weeks away
    joyful or blissful?Joy is a livelier feeling; bliss is more peaceful.Patterns
    • happy/​satisfied/​content/​contented with something
    • a happy/​satisfied/​contented/​blissful smile
    • a happy/​joyful occasion/​celebration
    • to feel happy/​satisfied/​content/​contented/​joyful
    • very/​perfectly/​quite happy/​satisfied/​content/​contented
    Extra Examples
    • She felt curiously content.
    • She seemed quite content with the idea.
    Topics Feelingsc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • appear
    • be
    • feel
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    preposition
    • with
    See full entry
  2. content to do something willing to do something
    • I was content to wait.
    • I'm perfectly content just to lie in the sun.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • appear
    • be
    • feel
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    preposition
    • with
    See full entry
  3. compare contented
    Word Originlate Middle English: via Old French from Latin contentus ‘satisfied’, past participle of continere from con- ‘altogether’ + tenere ‘to hold’.
See content in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee content in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
previously
adverb
 
 
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