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
Willa Cather3
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
While my pitch to Rogers did not lead to any particular path for pursing this cause in a formal way, I was gratified to learn that the Affordable Care Act would cover pre-existing conditions, rendering appeals on the subject moot.
—Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026
The program’s first state title would be a gratifying reward for a long climb through Stillwater’s lacrosse ranks.
—Tris Wykes, Twin Cities, 11 June 2026
As a fan of the show, I was gratified to see that Cassie and Maddy (Alexa Demie) made a conditional sort of peace over the course of the season.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 10 June 2026
The work largely expresses that same message, repeatedly, though Plensa does have a graceful way of stating the obvious in his three-dimensional objects — and that makes many of the pieces gratifying to gaze upon.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for gratify
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Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026
The program’s first state title would be a gratifying reward for a long climb through Stillwater’s lacrosse ranks.
—Tris Wykes, Twin Cities, 11 June 2026
As a fan of the show, I was gratified to see that Cassie and Maddy (Alexa Demie) made a conditional sort of peace over the course of the season.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 10 June 2026
The work largely expresses that same message, repeatedly, though Plensa does have a graceful way of stating the obvious in his three-dimensional objects — and that makes many of the pieces gratifying to gaze upon.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for gratify
Cite this Entry
“Gratify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gratify. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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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