gratify
verb
grat·i·fy
ˈgra-tə-ˌfī 
gratified; gratifying
1
: to be a source of or give pleasure or satisfaction to
It gratified him to have his wife wear jewels …—
Willa Cather
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.
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
The show can be funny, the camaraderie among the characters is gratifying, and the doctors are extraordinarily good-looking in the way only TV doctors can be.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
And the coach was deeply gratified to witness a step in the quarterback’s development unlike any other.
—Dan Pompei, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Michael DeMocker / Getty Images Still, Smart sounded gratified by his opportunity to be part of another big game in the Big Easy.
—CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025
There’s just something so gratifying about being able to say thank you.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 29 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Gratify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gratify. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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
noun
ˌgrat-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən
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