Contentement

Contentement denotes a state of satisfaction and sufficiency with one's current situation, often implying acceptance rather than intense joy. It can refer to emotional well-being as well as a mindset that values what one has over what one lacks.

From Old French contentement, from Latin contentus; the English noun contentment has been attested since the 13th century.

Philosophical perspectives emphasize contentment as a virtue that reduces craving and attachment; Stoicism and Buddhism frame it as a disciplined stance rather than passive resignation. In Western ethics, contentment is linked to temperance and sufficiency and is often distinguished from complacency, whereas gratitude and acceptance are common components.

In psychology, contentment is a facet of subjective well-being and relates to life satisfaction and affect balance. It correlates with gratitude, mindfulness, and stable social ties; cross-cultural studies show variation in how much sufficiency and contentment are valued, influenced by norms about desire and comparison.

In Islam, qana'ah denotes contentment with providence; in Hinduism and Buddhism, santosha is a central mental virtue; in yoga philosophy, santosha is practiced as serenity amid desire. In contemporary discourse, contentment is linked to well-being debates about consumer culture, material sufficiency, and sustainable living.