gratification

noun

grat·​i·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌgra-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

1

: reward, recompense

monetary gratification for a job well done

especially : gratuity

2

: the act of gratifying : the state of being gratified

the gratification of physical appetites

3

: a source of satisfaction or pleasure

found gratification in getting his novel published

Synonyms

• enjoyment
• contentment
• satisfaction
• pleasure
• happiness
• content
• delight

Examples of gratification in a Sentence

eating good chocolate gives me a sense of intense gratification

Recent Examples on the Web

In this era of instant gratification and constant consumption, each passing year without Cardi’s sophomore album felt more mind-boggling than the last. —Kyle Denis, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2025

Smoking is a relatively inexpensive habit that provides instant gratification and which its practitioners find pleasurable. —Robert M. Ehrenreich, JSTOR Daily, 24 Sep. 2025

Will Gryba, a 23-year-old digital marketing executive and personal finance TikTok creator with over 20,000 followers, told Newsweek that the psychology of his generation is shaped by instant gratification—and the need to keep up appearances online. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025

And yet, many legacy brands are still stuck in a cycle of instant gratification. —Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see gratify

First Known Use

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing gratification

• self-gratification

Rhymes for gratification

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration