satiate

1 of 2

adjective

sa·​tiate ˈsā-sh(ē-)ət How to pronounce satiate (audio)
: filled to satiety

satiate

2 of 2

verb

sa·​ti·​ate ˈsā-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce satiate (audio)
satiated; satiating

transitive verb

: to satisfy (a need, a desire, etc.) fully or to excess
satiation noun

Did you know?

The time has come at last to share the “sad” history of satiate, by which we mean that the two words—sad and satiate—are etymologically connected, not that the details will have you reaching for the tissue box. Both satiate and sad are related to the Latin adjective satis, meaning “enough.” When we say our desire, thirst, curiosity, etc. has been satiated, we mean it has been fully satisfied (satisfy being another satis descendant)—in other words, we’ve had enough. Satiate and sate (believed to be an alteration and shortening of satiate) sometimes imply simple contentment, but often suggest that having enough has dulled interest or desire for more, as in “Years of globe-trotting satiated their interest in travel.” Sad, which in its earliest use could describe someone who was weary or tired of something, traces back to the Old English adjective sæd, meaning “sated,” and sæd shares an ancient root with Latin satis.

Choose the Right Synonym for satiate

satiate, sate, surfeit, cloy, pall, glut, gorge mean to fill to repletion.

satiate and sate may sometimes imply only complete satisfaction but more often suggest repletion that has destroyed interest or desire.

years of globe-trotting had satiated their interest in travel
readers were sated with sensationalistic stories

surfeit implies a nauseating repletion.

surfeited themselves with junk food

cloy stresses the disgust or boredom resulting from such surfeiting.

sentimental pictures that cloy after a while

pall emphasizes the loss of ability to stimulate interest or appetite.

a life of leisure eventually begins to pall

glut implies excess in feeding or supplying.

a market glutted with diet books

gorge suggests glutting to the point of bursting or choking.

gorged themselves with chocolate

Examples of satiate in a Sentence

Adjective a couple of satiate dinner guests had ensconced themselves on the living room sofa Verb a long drink of water at last satiated my thirst
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Ramen will be available first-come, first-served, so get there early to ensure your Red Light fix is satiated before the noodles run out. Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 29 Jan. 2024 Providing a satiating laugh through grand depravity and betrayal, the project manages dastardly whimsy, Pepe eventually becoming an emblem of the country’s brutal past, a tool used to examine residual disparity. Holly Jones, Variety, 26 Jan. 2024 Fact checked by Marcus Reeves Protein is well-loved for its satiating powers. Brierley Horton, Ms, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2024 The arcade hit raced to the Atari 2600 and proved just as exhilarating at home, satiating gamers' need for speed, even without a steering wheel. Aaron Morales, EW.com, 23 Feb. 2024 Get satiated with a cup of Ivar’s Clam Chowder or bring your appetite to the third base food court and wrap your hands around the foot-long Ruthian Hot Dog, which is appropriately named after the Sultan of Swat, who was known for his larger-than-life personality and affinity for hot dogs. Georgann Yara, The Arizona Republic, 19 Feb. 2024 The world will need a lot more renewable energy to clean up pollution from power grids and satiate skyrocketing electricity demand from data centers at the same time. Justine Calma, The Verge, 24 Jan. 2024 Alas, the beast’s appetite could only be satiated by human flesh. Yanis Varoufakis, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2024 Although he’s promised to lay out a trail of breadcrumbs along the way, small morsels can’t ever fully satiate a ravenous hunger. Jenna Wang, Peoplemag, 9 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'satiate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin satiatus, past participle of satiare, from satis enough — more at sad

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of satiate was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near satiate

Cite this Entry

“Satiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/satiate. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

satiate

1 of 2 adjective
sa·​tiate ˈsā-sh(ē-)ət How to pronounce satiate (audio)
: filled to excess

satiate

2 of 2 verb
sa·​ti·​ate ˈsā-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce satiate (audio)
satiated; satiating
: to satisfy (as a need or desire) fully or to excess
satiation noun

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