content

¹ American  

[kon-tent] / ˈkɒn tɛnt /

noun

1. Usually contents.

   1. something that is contained.

      the contents of a box.

   2. the subjects or topics covered in a book or document.

   3. the chapters or other formal divisions of a book or document.

      a table of contents.

2. something that is to be expressed through some medium, as speech, writing, or any of various arts.

   a poetic form adequate to a poetic content.

3. significance or profundity; meaning.

   a clever play that lacks content.

4. substantive information or creative material viewed in contrast to its actual or potential manner of presentation.

   publishers, record companies, and other content providers; a flashy website, but without much content.

5. that which may be perceived in something.

   the latent versus the manifest content of a dream.

6. Philosophy, Logic. the sum of the attributes or notions comprised in a given conception; the substance or matter of cognition.

7. power of containing; holding capacity.

   The bowl's content is three quarts.

8. volume, area, or extent; size.

9. the amount contained.

10. Linguistics. the system of meanings or semantic values specific to a language (opposed to expression).

11. 1. Mathematics. the greatest common divisor of all the coefficients of a given polynomial.

    2. any abstraction of the concept of length, area, or volume.

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content ² American  

[kuhn-tent] / kənˈtɛnt /

adjective

1. satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.

2. British. agreeing; assenting.

3. Archaic. willing.

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verb (used with object)

• contents,
  present (3rd person singular)
• contented,
  past participle,  past
• contenting
  present participle

1. to make content.

   These things content me.

   Synonyms:

   gratify, appease

   Antonyms:

   dissatisfy

noun

1. the state or feeling of being contented; satisfaction; contentment.

   His content was threatened.

2. (in the British House of Lords) an affirmative vote or voter.

content ¹ British  

/ ˈkɒntɛnt /

noun

1. (often plural) everything that is inside a container

   the contents of a box

2. (usually plural)

   1. the chapters or divisions of a book

   2. a list, printed at the front of a book, of chapters or divisions together with the number of the first page of each

3. the meaning or significance of a poem, painting, or other work of art, as distinguished from its style or form

4. all that is contained or dealt with in a discussion, piece of writing, etc; substance

5. the capacity or size of a thing

6. the proportion of a substance contained in an alloy, mixture, etc

   the lead content of petrol

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content ² British  

/ kənˈtɛnt /

adjective

1. mentally or emotionally satisfied with things as they are

2. assenting to or willing to accept circumstances, a proposed course of action, etc

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verb

1. (tr) to make (oneself or another person) content or satisfied

   to content oneself with property

noun

1. peace of mind; mental or emotional satisfaction

interjection

1. (in the House of Lords) a formal expression of assent, as opposed to the expression not content

content Idioms  

1. see to one's heart's content.

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Synonym Usage

See satisfy.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• contentment
  noun
• contentness
  noun
• contentable
  adjective
• contently
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• contenting
  present
• contented
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• content
  simple
• contents
  simple
• have contented
  perfect
• has contented
  perfect
• am contenting
  progressive
• are contenting
  progressive
• is contenting
  progressive
• have been contenting
  perfect progressive
• has been contenting
  perfect progressive

Past

• contented
  simple
• had contented
  perfect
• was contenting
  progressive
• were contenting
  progressive
• had been contenting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will content
  simple
• will have contented
  perfect
• will be contenting
  progressive
• will have been contenting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of content¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English (from Anglo-French ), from Medieval Latin contentum, noun use of neuter of Latin contentus (past participle of continēre “to contain”), equivalent to con- “with, together” + ten- “hold” + -tus past participle suffix; see con-

Origin of content²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin contentus “satisfied,” special use of past participle of continēre; see content ¹

Explanation

If you feel content, you're satisfied and happy. The content of a book, movie, or song is what it's about: the topic. This word has two main meanings. The first has to do with being pleased and satisfied (feeling content) or making someone else feel happy and at peace with things (contenting them). The other meaning has to do with subject matter: the content of a history class might be American history. The content of a math class might be geometry. As long as there's a topic or subject, there's content.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

content contents contented contenting

Using those measurements and their new calibration method, the researchers produced the first complete map showing the silicon dioxide content across the Moon's surface.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 12, 2026

Outside is a painted wall slogan: “Being content with poverty is shameful; lifting oneself out of poverty is glorious.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026

In the final episode, Jackie appears the most content she has been since the age of seven.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

A federal jury acquitted Grammy-winning rapper Lil Durk in a murder-for-hire trial that has drawn celebrities, fans and content creators to a downtown Los Angeles courthouse.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026

They should not be feeling peaceful and content!

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

One began to boil a kettle and emptied the contents into a bucket, along with a cap of bleach.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

The Times said its unclassified contents were confirmed by several lawyers who had seen it.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

Will we receive the contents of her safe-deposit box when she dies?

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

In agriculture, fertilizers can be enclosed inside PHA beads that gradually release their contents as the plastic breaks down.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

I open a drawer and shift through its contents.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

And it is not hard to find contented heat pump customers.

From BBC ● Mar. 22, 2026

Rather, that contented knowing seasons the confidence with which O’Hara shaped all of her women, whether mothers or, like Patty Leigh in “The Studio,” mother figures.

From Salon ● Feb. 4, 2026

Now, though, he’s a contented family man operating a successful neighborhood bistro called Chez Paul—until fate comes calling and returns him to a life he’d just as soon forget.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 21, 2026

In a twitch, a head tilt or a whine, Indy communicates his emotions: curious, lonely, contented, confused, fretful, desperate or petrified.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2025

We sat quietly, the only sounds the occasional cry of the curlew and Lottie’s contented nursing.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson

Verstappen has reeled off four consecutive podium finishes and won three of the last four Austin races, only missing out last year when Ferrari claimed a one-two, contenting himself instead with a sprint race win.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2025

By 2020, Zawahiri had become increasingly distant, contenting himself to write books and essays and only rarely appearing on video.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 1, 2022

He’s been playing it safe in Brooklyn, contenting himself with his Ma, his girlfriend and a modest managerial job at Starbucks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 29, 2020

He ate “selectively and moderately at the Kremlin dinner” and “also stayed off the vodka contenting himself with some large gulps of red wine,” according to the note.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 17, 2019

I refrained from expressing opinions of my own, contenting myself with a reference to those of the fathers of the Republic.

From Under Four Administrations From Cleveland to Taft by Oscar S. Straus

Related Words

• comfortable
• contented
• fulfilled
• gratified
• happy
• pleased
• satisfied
• willing