ennui
3 antonyms and opposites of ennui, grouped by meaning.
Noun — A weary, dissatisfied boredom that comes from having nothing that feels worth doing.
Antonyms
How to Use Ennui
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Literary and slightly self-aware; uncommon in plain speech.
Etymology
From French ennui 'boredom, annoyance', from ennuyer, which goes back to the Latin phrase in odio (esse) 'to be hateful'.
Full origin of ennui →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between ennui and boredom?
Boredom is usually temporary and has a cause — a dull meeting, a wet afternoon. Ennui is a settled mood in which nothing at all seems worth the effort, closer to weariness with life than to lacking something to do.
How do you pronounce ennui?
It keeps its French sound: on-WEE, with the stress on the second syllable and a nasal first vowel. It is not pronounced 'en-you-eye'.
Is ennui the same as depression?
No. Ennui is an ordinary, if literary, description of a bored and jaded mood. Depression is a medical condition involving persistent low mood and loss of function, and it needs proper assessment rather than a French noun.