anhedonia

[ an-hee-doh-nee-uh ]

noun

, Psychology.

1. lack of pleasure or of the capacity to experience it:

   Severely depressed people often exhibit decreased interest in social interaction, disturbed concentration, and anhedonia.

Other Words From

• an·he·don·ic [an-hee-, don, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of anhedonia¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; from Greek an- + hēdon(ḗ) “pleasure” + -ia; an- ¹, -ia

Example Sentences

Sometimes giving up drinking involves anhedonia, which is an inability to find pleasure in the activities you once enjoyed.

From Los Angeles Times

I ended up leaving midyear due to my anhedonia, a clinical term that refers to the inability to experience pleasure.

From Seattle Times

Others have reported negative side effects, like experiencing anhedonia, or the inability to feel pleasure.

From Salon

This leaves him, he adds, in a consistent state of anhedonia: a reduced ability to feel pleasure.

From Los Angeles Times

The results were striking: Individuals who had experienced unpredictable childhoods were at a statistically greater risk of anxiety, anhedonia, higher depression and even suicidal ideation.

From Salon

Related Words

• grief
• misery
• sadness
• sorrow
• woe