gratify

verb

grat·i·fy | \ ˈgra-tə-ˌfī

gratified; gratifying

Definition of gratify

transitive verb

1 : to be a source of or give pleasure or satisfaction to it gratified him to have his wife wear jewels— Willa Cather

2 : to give in to : indulge, satisfy gratify a whim

3 archaic : remunerate, reward

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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

Perhaps readers were gratified to see a Times columnist go on record against pagan lawlessness, but the talk of treason continued. — James Freeman, WSJ, "Donald Trump and the New York Times," 20 June 2019 Laments about Disneyland-like congestion would likely be gratifying news for SeaWorld Entertainment executives, who continue to explore new ways to boost attendance at their parks. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "SeaWorld is finally making a comeback but will PETA’s dolphin campaign stall the rebound?," 22 June 2019 Fatherhood has, and continues to be, both a demanding and gratifying endeavor. — National Geographic, "Enjoy Father's Day? Thank the woman who spent 62 years campaigning for it.," 17 June 2019 The arc of this cheery, encouraging story will gratify any fairyland devotee who is struggling to master a new skill. — Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, "Children’s Books: Tales Told in Many Tongues," 3 Jan. 2019 The feeling of the ball hitting the pins, hearing and seeing them fall down, is deeply gratifying. — Maude Campbell, Popular Mechanics, "Want to Become an Excellent Bowler? Here's Everything You Need to Know.," 27 Nov. 2018 But what’s most unexpectedly gratifying is how much energy veteran standup director Jeff Tomsic and his splashy cast pour into ensuring that this is legit entertainment, packed with gonzo wit and even some sentiment. — Tom Russo, BostonGlobe.com, "Looking for just the right touch in ‘Tag’," 13 June 2018 As gratifying as 2017-18 was for the New Orleans Pelicans, the road ahead will only get tougher for a franchise hoping to take the next step. — William Guillory, NOLA.com, "Can continuity be the key to Pelicans' future success?," 12 May 2018 To get people reacquainted with me has been challenging but also gratifying. — David Peisner, Billboard, "Big Boi on Hip-Hop's Evolution, Acting In 'Superfly' & Working With L.A. Reid," 3 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gratify.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.