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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
After a day of activity, there are a variety of dining options that await to satiate your palate. Rana Good, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 While the magnitude of the guidance beat was perhaps not enough to satiate the most demanding of bulls, the stock was flat on the week. Zev Fima, CNBC, 24 Nov. 2024 The brand recommends using them in tandem with NRTs to satiate the hand-to-mouth habit of vaping. Lina Abascal, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024 Its formidable Second Fleet would protect sea routes, support the continent’s major naval powers, and continue to provide extended deterrence—satiating Europeans who are afraid of abandonment at a time of Russian revanchism. Sumantra Maitra, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for satiate 

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

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near satiate

Cite this Entry

“Satiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/satiate. Accessed 6 Dec. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on satiate

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!