# masturbate

/ˈmæstɝˌbeɪt/ (US) · /mˈɑːstəbˌeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/masturbate
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 2. self-indulgent activity

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal · Humorous

to spend time on something that makes you feel good but is actually useless or selfish.

For teachers: to engage in a self-indulgent activity that serves no practical purpose or fails to achieve a meaningful goal. Used as a derogatory metaphor for unproductive work.

- The director's new movie is just a way for him to masturbate his own ego.
- Critics argued that the author's three-hundred-page digression was little more than intellectual masturbation, contributing nothing to the actual plot of the novel.

Usage: Often used in the form 'intellectual masturbation' or with 'ego' as an object.

Teaching tip: This figurative use is often considered offensive or overly aggressive in formal settings; students should use it with caution.

## Examples

- Some people masturbate to relieve stress before sleeping.
- Health experts generally agree that it is normal for adults to masturbate as part of a healthy sexual life.
- While historical medical texts often pathologised the urge to masturbate, contemporary psychology views it as a common and harmless method of sexual self-expression.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.