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as in to alleviate
to put a complete end to (a physical need or desire) the players satisfied their hunger after the game with a big pasta dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
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as in to compensate
to provide (someone) with a just payment for loss or injury the owners of the restaurant were generously satisfied for any business lost during the filming

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word satisfy distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of satisfy are compensate, indemnify, pay, recompense, reimburse, remunerate, and repay. While all these words mean "to give money or its equivalent in return for something," satisfy implies paying a person what is required by law.

all creditors will be satisfied in full

When would compensate be a good substitute for satisfy?

The words compensate and satisfy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, compensate implies a making up for services rendered.

an attorney well compensated for her services

When could indemnify be used to replace satisfy?

The synonyms indemnify and satisfy are sometimes interchangeable, but indemnify implies making good a loss suffered through accident, disaster, warfare.

indemnified the families of the dead miners

When is it sensible to use pay instead of satisfy?

Although the words pay and satisfy have much in common, pay implies the discharge of an obligation incurred.

paid their bills

Where would recompense be a reasonable alternative to satisfy?

While in some cases nearly identical to satisfy, recompense suggests due return in amends, friendly repayment, or reward.

passengers were recompensed for the delay

When is reimburse a more appropriate choice than satisfy?

While the synonyms reimburse and satisfy are close in meaning, reimburse implies a return of money that has been spent for another's benefit.

reimbursed employees for expenses

When can remunerate be used instead of satisfy?

The words remunerate and satisfy can be used in similar contexts, but remunerate clearly suggests paying for services rendered and may extend to payment that is generous or not contracted for.

promised to remunerate the searchers handsomely

When might repay be a better fit than satisfy?

The meanings of repay and satisfy largely overlap; however, repay stresses paying back an equivalent in kind or amount.

repay a favor with a favor

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of satisfy Chock full of fresh vegetables and herbs, but hearty enough to satisfy your appetite, this meal is a winning choice for any hot summer night. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 28 June 2025 The Kings began the first round without a pick in the draft after conveying the No. 13 pick to the Atlanta Hawks to satisfy the Kevin Huerter trade from the summer of 2022. Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 27 June 2025 To be eligible for the program, units must also satisfy HUD’s physical quality standards. Alex Schwartz, The Conversation, 26 June 2025 Hungry customers have some new summertime treats to satisfy their cravings. Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for satisfy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for satisfy
Verb
  • Shriners Hospitals for Children have also alleviated the financial burden on the Petersons by covering the costs of Hadley's medical procedures, some of which would normally cost tens of thousands of dollars.
    Analisa Novak, CBS News, 14 July 2025
  • And if its alleviating dryness in the air, look no further than Levoit’s humidifier which adds moisture with ease.
    Kiana Murden, Vogue, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • But the next morning, just as Debrah prepares to leave, Madea stops her in the hotel lobby and convinces her to attend the ceremony after all.
    Emily Blackwood, People.com, 14 July 2025
  • Isio is convinced that the only way out is to play by the rules, even when her charismatic new roommate, Farah (Ann Akinjirin), warns her otherwise.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Trump was elected to fulfill certain promises on immigration.
    W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 12 July 2025
  • The subpoenas are part of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department and the White House to fulfill President Donald Trump’s promises to curtail pediatric gender care.
    Azeen Ghorayshi, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Then the governor, seemingly trying to please the president, vetoed laws that assist Floridians in survival mode.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 July 2025
  • Two tiebreaking runs scored, a fact that pleased Altuve far more than another milestone in a career full of them.
    Chandler Rome, New York Times, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • Despite some backsliding, the EU still holds to its goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, by cutting greenhouse gases and compensating for any remaining emissions.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 4 July 2025
  • In heavy rain, allow an additional two seconds of distance to compensate for reduced traction and braking effectiveness.
    Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 3 July 2025
Verb
  • Moreover, there is no reason to assume that such concessions would slake Chinese and Russian ambitions: consider, for example, what Beijing’s massive investments in Latin America and attempts to corrupt the Canadian political system suggest about Chinese intentions.
    KORI SCHAKE, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
  • While a handful of commercial pieces have been released in recent seasons to slake the thirst of fans exclusively on the brand’s website, fall 2025 marks the formal return of a rtw offer.
    Lily Templeton, WWD, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Or they could be persuaded that financial surveillance of businesses for transactions over $200 is necessary to prevent criminals from moving money.
    Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 13 July 2025
  • Becker had run in high school but was working as a mortgage broker when, with his 60th birthday approaching, a friend persuaded him to try a marathon in Minnesota.
    James Rainey Follow, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Thus far, the administration has managed to fend off initial court challenges, maintain arrests at a steady clip, and generate images of a ruthless crackdown in a liberal bastion that delight the president’s supporters.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
  • Jackson had been delighted by the number of young people who had turned out, a perennial goal for august cultural institutions.
    Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Satisfy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/satisfy. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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