1
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 Incorporating vegetables like Brussels sprouts is a naturally low-calorie way to help fill your stomach and satisfy your appetite. Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 3 Nov. 2025 The Best of Harry & David Advent Calendar will satisfy your snacking urge throughout the holiday season. Molly Blanco, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2025 The chain’s Holiday Treat Collection, which is available now, features two new desserts and a returning Blizzard to satisfy any customer’s sweet tooth. Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025 Serve with crusty bread, cornbread, or biscuits for a satisfying meal. Phoebe Evans, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for satisfy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for satisfy
Verb
  • So, Taylor woke up with his head half-shaven and a shunt installed to help alleviate the pressure and drain out the spinal fluid that the tumor was blocking.
    Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
  • The funds are meant to alleviate monetary barriers and enhance the fashion industry’s talent pipeline.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But Weber was always convinced that what his apparatuses were seeing was a real signal.
    Big Think, Big Think, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The designations helped the campaign figure out which kinds of ads would appeal to certain voters — and convince them to go to the polls or stay home.
    David Smiley, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • That means giving back, informally, to fulfill teachers’ wish lists and with the Eagles Autism Foundation.
    Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The TrumpRx website is expected to launch sometime in 2026, and would take consumers to pharmaceutical companies' direct-to-consumer websites to fulfill orders.
    NPR, NPR, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • There’s always someone around the corner who’s eager to please you.
    Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Total Wine & More’s 2025 advent calendar of wine features varietals from all over the world that are sure to please even the pickiest oenophile.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • This was initially an emergency measure introduced in 2020, when football was forced into a demanding schedule to compensate for the three months lost to the pandemic.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Not Considering Size Trying to compensate for the wrong-size reed diffuser by adding or removing reeds is the wrong way to go, says Xu.
    Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Since then, fans have had their thirst for BTS content slaked thanks to a series of solo albums, singles and tours.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2025
  • 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
Verb
  • In 1865, the Vatican News said, university professor Vincenzo Pepe persuaded Longo to ditch satanism.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
  • All's Fair, attempting to persuade costar Sarah Paulson that Aldrin didn't actually land on the moon.
    Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The beauty of fall keeps me coming back even in the winter.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
  • For more nostalgic decor finds from Pottery Barn, Target, and more, keep scrolling.
    Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Satisfy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/satisfy. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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