Meanings
plural anhedonias
- uncountableusuallyhuman sciencesThe inability to feel pleasure from activities usually found enjoyable, such as exercise, hobbies, music, sexual activities or social interactions.
Rather, Meehl suggests that anhedonia is a manifestation of the mixed signals to which the preschizophrenic individual is subjected because of the neurointegrative deficit.
2012, R. R. J. Lewine, “Anhedonia and the Amotivational State of Schizophrenia”, in Andreas Marneros, Nancy C. Andreasen, Ming T. Tsuang, editors, Negative Versus Positive Schizophrenia, Springer, page 823 more examples
Prolonged seasickness will in most persons produce a temporary condition of anhedonia. Every good, terrestrial or celestial, is imagined only to be turned from with disgust.
1902, William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature […] , New York, N.Y.; London: Longmans, Green, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 146Secondly, the distinction between consummatory and anticipatory anhedonia [21] is not taken into account although these two anhedonias could play different role in the risk of suicide.
2014, Gwenolé Loas, 11: Anhedonia and Risk of Suicide: An Overview, Michael S. Ritsner (editor), Anhedonia: A Comprehensive Handbook, Volume II, Springer, page 251Anhedonia is the reduced ability to experience pleasure from activities that were previously found to be enjoyable. Anhedonia can induce diminished motivation to engage in a potentially pleasurable activity (anticipatory anhedonia) and loss of the enjoyment experienced from the action itself (consummatory anhedonia).
2020, Erin Trifilio, John B. Williamson, Kenneth M. Heilman, “Chapter 9: Changes in Emotions and Mood with Aging”, in Kenneth M. Heilman, Stephen E. Nadeau, editors, Cognitive Changes of the Aging Brain, Cambridge University Press, page 133
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Ancient Greekἀν-
- Frenchanhédonie
- Englishanhedonia
From French anhédonie (coined by Ribot, 1896), from Ancient Greek ἀν- (an-) + ἡδονή (hēdonḗ, “pleasure”).
More words from French, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan anhedonisme
- anhedonismeinability to feel pleasure
Czech anhedonie
- anhedonieinability to feel pleasure
Dutch anhedonie
- anhedonieinability to feel pleasure
French anhédonie
- anhédonieinability to feel pleasure
Greek ανηδονία
- ανηδονία (anidonía)inability to feel pleasure
Icelandic vansæld
- vansældinability to feel pleasure
Italian anedonia
- anedoniainability to feel pleasure
Polish anhedonia
- anhedoniainability to feel pleasure
Portuguese anedonia
- anedoniainability to feel pleasure
Russian ангедония
- ангедония (angedonija)inability to feel pleasure
Spanish anhedonia
- anhedoniainability to feel pleasure
Swedish anhedoni
- anhedoniinability to feel pleasure
Turkish anhedoni
- anhedoniinability to feel pleasure
Ukrainian ангедо́нія
- ангедо́нія (anhedónija)inability to feel pleasure
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
anhedonia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anhedonia
“anhedonia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anhedonia. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “anhedonia,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anhedonia.
Source: anhedonia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.