1
as in joys
a source of great satisfaction
the new car is a real pleasure to drive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in delights
someone or something that provides amusement or enjoyment
a good-humored girl who's a pleasure to be around
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in pleases
to give satisfaction to
a wine that is sure to pleasure even the most discriminating palate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pleasures
Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Clive Barker's adaptation of his own novella, The Hellbound Heart, introduced us to one of the scariest cinematic baddies, Pinhead, leader of a group of sadomasochistic demonic beings who are summoned by humans either accidentally or in pursuit of pleasures of their own.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
TikTok discovered the pleasures of Sushi Fumi, and there is usually a wait.
—Jocelyn Silver, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026
My excavations are merely a variation on these same pleasures.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
And there are incidental pleasures like Patton Oswalt as the voice of Freddy’s anthropomorphized backpack Strappy or Clint Howard and Michael Shannon as a grizzled cowboy and his demanding ventriloquist dummy.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
Enjoy and be grateful for any and all pleasures in your domestic space.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 20 Jan. 2026
But those pleasures were put on hold when Brumbaugh was hospitalized with a life-threatening illness and found herself in urgent need of a liver transplant.
—Dawn Klavon, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Serendipitous moment There are other pleasures too.
—Cnn, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
For all the technical complexity, there are also unique pleasures to directing the Muppets.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Clive Barker's adaptation of his own novella, The Hellbound Heart, introduced us to one of the scariest cinematic baddies, Pinhead, leader of a group of sadomasochistic demonic beings who are summoned by humans either accidentally or in pursuit of pleasures of their own.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
TikTok discovered the pleasures of Sushi Fumi, and there is usually a wait.
—Jocelyn Silver, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026
My excavations are merely a variation on these same pleasures.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
And there are incidental pleasures like Patton Oswalt as the voice of Freddy’s anthropomorphized backpack Strappy or Clint Howard and Michael Shannon as a grizzled cowboy and his demanding ventriloquist dummy.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
Enjoy and be grateful for any and all pleasures in your domestic space.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 20 Jan. 2026
But those pleasures were put on hold when Brumbaugh was hospitalized with a life-threatening illness and found herself in urgent need of a liver transplant.
—Dawn Klavon, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Serendipitous moment There are other pleasures too.
—Cnn, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Verb
In one especially heated sequence, Catherine, overcome with lust, dashes off to the moors and pleasures herself ferociously against the rocks.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasures
Noun
-
The Guy, as Sinclair is known on the show, sells to everyone, stressed-out 20-something assistant and cross-dressing stay-at-home dad alike, witnessing their private joys and pains and shortcomings and judging no one.—
Ezra Marcus,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The message is that poor and working-class families don’t deserve to make their own choices or pursue even the small joys of a soda or sweet.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Today’s Mercury-Uranus square energizes your money zone and your 5th House of Temptations, pinging you back and forth between budget plans and spontaneous delights.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Lushly photographed and boosted by a few killer tracks, Daisy Jones & the Six delivers the lurid delights and downfalls of a satisfying behind-the-music tale.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
His fervor for society pleases his mother Violet (Ruth Gemmell), but also frustrates her to the point of squeezing Penelope for information.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The new emphasis, and the current EPA’s view that economic interests should be critical to environmental rules, pleases many business groups.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Television, which greeted the new year with fresh entertainments of all shapes and sizes.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
-
There are other long-running holiday entertainments out there.—
David Lyman,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Since then, the British government has worked tirelessly to carve out a deal that satisfies Mauritius without losing its defensive foothold.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
-
There is a profound sadness in the way the ‘good people’ here settle on a version of truth that satisfies their own worldview.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
An affordable, rapidly developing tech and entrepreneurial hub that anchors a lake district of endless outdoor diversions, Tampere is regularly voted by Finns as the country’s prettiest city.—
Boris Fishman,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
-
But Conlon didn’t grant IRTBA a permanent injunction banning future diversions of transportation tax revenue.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Well, Sydney feasts a little bit at the end.—
Claire Messud,
Vogue,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Chilean filmmaker spent over three years on the film, shooting the recreations as well as interviews with the principals and researching archive.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
14 Feb. 2026
-
While people tag her in dozens of videos every day, Humphrey tries to pick recreations that are authentic moments caught on camera.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pleasures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasures. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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