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
He’s excited by Hibner’s potential — and also gratified by the transaction’s emblematic significance.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
If Musk ever reads Maintenance—and much of it seems to have been written with this possibility in mind—he might not be convinced by its arguments, but his ego should be gratified by its tone of unqualified approval.
—Alec Nevala-Lee, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
These little sprinkles of personality are gratifying for viewers, and the show could use its third season to capitalize on the audience’s excitement about what the night shift brings to Pitt.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
The shift in women's sports is both gratifying and bittersweet for players and coaches from the pioneering schools that helped spark this current growth.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gratify
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Michael Silver, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
If Musk ever reads Maintenance—and much of it seems to have been written with this possibility in mind—he might not be convinced by its arguments, but his ego should be gratified by its tone of unqualified approval.
—Alec Nevala-Lee, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
These little sprinkles of personality are gratifying for viewers, and the show could use its third season to capitalize on the audience’s excitement about what the night shift brings to Pitt.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
The shift in women's sports is both gratifying and bittersweet for players and coaches from the pioneering schools that helped spark this current growth.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 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 28 Apr. 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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