gratify

verb

grat·​i·​fy ˈgra-tə-ˌfī 

gratified; gratifying

transitive verb

1

: to be a source of or give pleasure or satisfaction to

it gratified him to have his wife wear jewels

—Willa Cather

2

: to give in to : indulge, satisfy

gratify a whim

3

archaic : remunerate, reward

Did you know?

A gratifying experience is quietly pleasing or satisfying. But gratifying an impulse means giving in to it, which isn't always such a good idea, and "instant gratification" of every desire will result in a life based on junk food and worse. Truly gratifying experiences and accomplishments usually are the result of time and effort.

Synonyms

• cater (to)
• humor
• indulge

Examples of gratify in a Sentence

A guilty verdict would gratify the victim's relatives.

He's only concerned with gratifying his own desires.

Recent Examples on the Web

What’s especially gratifying is the undeniable fact that Latin music’s relevance in the streaming charts is accompanied by a wave of radical creativity. —Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024

But in the end, the collaboration, even with its intensity, was gratifying. —Delano Massey, Axios, 26 Dec. 2024

But Fischer found the use of multiple techniques to uncover aspects of his identity gratifying. —Cnn, The Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2024

Corbet found the swell of advance enthusiasm gratifying, if bewildering. —Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French gratifier, from Latin gratificari to show kindness to, from gratus + -ificari, passive of -ificare -ify

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

gratify

verb

grat·​i·​fy ˈgrat-ə-ˌfī 

gratified; gratifying

1

: to give or be a source of pleasure or satisfaction to

2

: to grant a favor to : indulge

gratification

ˌgrat-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən

noun