content

Happy with what you have or with your situation, without wanting more.

• I am content with my life.
• They were content to stay at home.
• Would you be content with a smaller house?

How to use it: be content with something (She is content with her small apartment.); be content to do something (He was content to wait outside.)

Similar words: satisfied, happy

Opposites: dissatisfied, discontented

Common phrases: content with something, content to stay, perfectly content

The ideas, facts, or messages in a book, speech, video, or other work.

• The content of the book surprised me.
• We discussed the speech’s content after the meeting.
• This article has useful content but needs clearer headings.

Similar words: subject matter, substance

Common phrases: content of something, educational content, written content

The things inside a bag, box, book, or other container, usually called its contents.

• The box’s contents were wet.
• She emptied the contents of her bag onto the table.
• Check the contents before you throw the envelope away.

Similar words: contents

Common phrases: content of something, examine the content

Writing, pictures, videos, or other creative material made for people to read, watch, or listen to.

• She creates content for children.
• We upload new content every Friday.
• Which website has the best free content?

Similar words: material

Common phrases: create content, online content, video content

The amount of a particular substance in something.

• This milk has a low fat content.
• Check the sugar content before buying the juice.
• The soil’s water content fell during the summer.

Similar words: amount, proportion

Common phrases: fat content, sugar content, high alcohol content

A feeling of having enough or being satisfied, especially when doing something as much as you want.

• You can read to your heart’s content.
• We ate and drank to our hearts’ content.
• There was a quiet sense of content in her voice.

How to use it: to someone’s heart’s content (The children played to their hearts’ content.)

Similar words: contentment, satisfaction

Opposites: discontent

Common phrases: heart’s content, to your heart’s content

To accept what is available, although you would like something more or different.

• Content yourself with what you have.
• She contented herself with a sandwich.
• We had to content ourselves with hearing the result by phone.

How to use it: content oneself with something (We had to content ourselves with a short visit.); content oneself with doing something (He contented himself with watching from outside.)

Similar words: settle for, make do with

Common phrases: content yourself, content yourself with something

To make someone feel happy or satisfied.

• Nothing seemed to content him.
• A warm meal contented the tired travellers.
• Would a simple answer content you?

Similar words: satisfy, please

Opposites: dissatisfy

Common phrases: content someone, content the mind, content a child