Content — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈkän-ˌtent/ (noun) /kən-ˈtent/ (adjective) con·tent

Meaning & Definition of Content

Content (noun)

  1. something contained —usually used in plural
  2. the topics or matter treated in a written work
  3. the principal substance (such as written matter, images, music, etc.) offered by a website or on social media
  4. contentment

Content (adjective)

  1. pleased and satisfied with what one has, not disposed to complain, contented

Content (verb)

  1. to appease the desires of
  2. to limit (oneself) in requirements, desires, or actions

Content (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a major object of interest or concern (as in a discussion or artistic composition)

    "although I appreciate the poem's lyrical qualities, I don't understand its content"

    similar: matter, motif, motive, question, subject, theme, topic
    related: subject matter, talking point, count, idea, point, purpose, consideration, issue, problem, body, bulk, burden, centerpiece, core, crux, essence, fundamental, generality, gist, grist, heart, kernel, keynote, main, marrow, mass, net, nub, nubbin, nucleus, pith, pivot, purport, quick, staple, substance, sum, basis, bottom, essential, essentiality, affair, argument, debate
    near: aside, digression, excursion, interjection, parenthesis, tangent

  2. the amount of something (as subject matter) included

    "judging from the table of contents, I'd have to say that this book covers most of the major topics in American history"

    similar: coverage
    related: compass, gamut, range, scope, sweep, membership, participation

  3. the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action

    "the speech was filled with fine words but devoid of any real content"

    similar: denotation, drift, import, intent, intention, meaning, purport, sense, significance, signification
    related: connotation, clue, cue, hint, implication, indication, inkling, intimation, suggestion, message, tenor, theme, bottom, essence, essentiality, nature, soul, spirit, stuff, acceptance, acceptation, definition, burden, crux, gist, core, heart, kernel, marrow, nub, nucleus, pith, point, quick, matter, motif, motive, question, subject, topic

  4. the feeling experienced when one's wishes are met

    "slept to her heart's content on weekends"

    similar: contentedness, contentment, delectation, delight, enjoyment, gladness, gratification, happiness, pleasure, relish, satisfaction
    related: afterglow, bliss, felicity, glee, gleefulness, joy, pleasance, amusement, diversion, entertainment, elatedness, elation, exhilaration, exultation, intoxication, ecstasy, euphoria, heaven, rapture, cheer, cheerfulness, exuberance, gaiety, jollity, joyfulness, jubilation, joie de vivre, comfort, ease, restfulness
    opposite: discontent, discontentedness, discontentment, displeasure, dissatisfaction, unhappiness
    near: misery, sadness, unhappiness, wretchedness, anguish, desolation, joylessness, sorrow, woe, dejection, depression, despondency, dispiritedness, gloom, melancholy, aggravation, annoyance, exasperation, irritation, pique, vexation, anger, fury, rage, agitation, distress, disturbance, upset, discomfort, restlessness, uneasiness

Content (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. feeling that one's needs or desires have been met

    "are you content with your present salary?"

    similar: contented, gratified, happy, pleased, satisfied
    related: blissful, delighted, glad, joyful, joyous, jubilant, rejoicing, tickled, ecstatic, elated, enraptured, euphoric, overjoyed, rapturous, thrilled, appeased, mollified, pacified, placated
    opposite: discontent, discontented, displeased, dissatisfied, malcontent, malcontented, unhappy
    near: disaffected, disgruntled, displeased, unsatisfied, abject, aggrieved, anguished, brokenhearted, dejected, depressed, despondent, disconsolate, discouraged, disheartened, dispirited, downcast, downhearted

Content (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give satisfaction to

    "a person easily contented by life's simple pleasures"

    similar: agree (with), delight, feast, gas (slang), glad (archaic), gladden, gratify, please, pleasure, rejoice, satisfy, suit, warm
    related: appease, mollify, pacify, placate, soothe, assuage, quench, sate, satiate, excite, tickle, titillate, amuse, divert, entertain, treat, captivate, charm, galvanize, thrill, calm, comfort, cater (to), humor, indulge, coddle, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil
    opposite: displease
    near: aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, chafe, cross, exasperate, gall, get, grate, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, perturb, pique, put out, ruffle, vex, anger, enrage, incense, inflame, infuriate, madden, outrage, rankle, rile, roil, steam up, provoke, rouse, agitate, distress, disturb, fret, upset, harass, harry, pester, affront, insult, offend

Related Entry: Self-content (noun)

Self-content is a different word from Content. The synonyms below are for self-content, not for content.

  1. as in pride, pridefulness

    similar: cockiness, complacence, complacency, conceit, conceitedness, ego, egoism, egotism, hubris, overconfidence, pomposity, pompousness, pride, pridefulness, self-admiration, self-applause, self-assumption, self-complacency, self-conceit, self-consequence, self-contentment, self-glorification, self-importance, self-opinion, self-partiality, self-satisfaction, smugness, vaingloriousness, vainglory, vanity, aplomb, assurance, confidence, self-assurance, self-assuredness, self-confidence, self-esteem, self-trust, calmness, composure, coolness, equanimity, self-poise, self-possession, assumption, bumptiousness, haughtiness, hauteur, huffiness, imperiousness, loftiness, lordliness, peremptoriness, presumptuousness, pretentiousness, superciliousness, superiority, toploftiness
    opposite: diffidence, insecurity, self-distrust, self-doubt, apprehension, doubt, misgiving

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Content

The most common words with a similar meaning to Content:

Slang: gas
Archaic: glad
matter, motif, motive, question, subject, theme, topic, coverage, denotation, drift, import, intent, intention, meaning, purport, sense, significance, signification, contentedness, contentment, delectation, delight, enjoyment, gladness, gratification, happiness, pleasure, relish, satisfaction, contented, gratified, happy, pleased, satisfied, agree (with), feast, gladden, gratify, please, rejoice

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Content

Words with the opposite meaning of Content:

discontent, discontentedness, discontentment, displeasure, dissatisfaction, unhappiness, discontented, displeased, dissatisfied, malcontent, malcontented, unhappy, displease

Related Words for Content

subject matter, talking point, count, idea, point, purpose, consideration, issue, problem, body, bulk, burden, centerpiece, core, crux, essence, fundamental, generality, gist, grist, heart, kernel, keynote, main, marrow, mass, net, nub, nubbin, nucleus

Near Antonyms of Content

aside, digression, excursion, interjection, parenthesis, tangent, misery, sadness, wretchedness, anguish, desolation, joylessness, sorrow, woe, dejection, depression, despondency, dispiritedness, gloom, melancholy, aggravation, annoyance, exasperation, irritation, pique, vexation, anger, fury, rage, agitation

Word Forms of Content

Inflections: contented, contenting, contents

Origin & Etymology of Content

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin contentum (usually in plural contenta), noun derivative from neuter past participle of Latin continēre "to hold together, restrain, have as contents" contain

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Content

Words & Phrases Containing Content

content analysis, content management system, content word, content oneself with, self-content, to one's heart's content

Frequently Asked Questions about Content

What does "Content" mean?

"Content" means something contained —usually used in plural. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: something contained —usually used in plural. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Content"?

Other words for "Content" include matter, motif, motive, question, subject, theme, topic and coverage. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Content" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Content"?

There are 189 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Content". Common alternatives include matter, motif, motive, question, subject, theme, topic, coverage, denotation and drift.

What is the opposite of "Content"?

Antonyms of "Content" include discontent, discontentedness, discontentment, displeasure, dissatisfaction, unhappiness, discontented and displeased. Near antonyms include aside, digression, excursion and interjection.

How do you use "Content" in a sentence?

Examples of "Content" in a sentence: "although I appreciate the poem's lyrical qualities, I don't understand its content"; "judging from the table of contents, I'd have to say that this book covers most of the major topics in American history"; "the speech was filled with fine words but devoid of any real content".

Is "Content" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Content" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Content" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Content" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Content"?

"Content" is pronounced /ˈkän-ˌtent/ as a noun and /kən-ˈtent/ as an adjective and divided into syllables as con·tent.