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bon vivant

[bon vee-vahnt, bawn vee-vahn] / ˈbɒn viˈvɑnt, bɔ̃ viˈvɑ̃ /
NOUN
one who lives well
Synonyms
STRONGEST
connoisseur
WEAK
aficionado connoisseur of food connoisseur of wine enthusiast epicure epicurean gastronome gastronomist gourmand gourmet refined palate social person

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Cerf was fun and charismatic, a jokester and bon vivant.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

Creating such stunning clothing is demanding work that has left Anne little time for anyone else, something Sevigny — a modern bon vivant if there ever was one — says felt true to her life.

From Salon • May 2, 2025

Swapping a beltway bon vivant for the so-called Prince of Darkness is, however, a risk.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2025

Solomon, not well-known today, was a Harvard-educated bon vivant known for his erudition in new art’s European history.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2024

In any case, practically overnight, Bobby turned himself from a dead stockbroker and incapacitated bon vivant into a live, if somewhat unqualified, agent-appraiser for a society of independent American art galleries and fine arts museums.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.