satisfaction

noun

sat·​is·​fac·​tion ˌsa-təs-ˈfak-shən How to pronounce satisfaction (audio)
1
a
: the payment through penance of the temporal punishment incurred by a sin
b
: reparation for sin that meets the demands of divine justice
2
a
: fulfillment of a need or want
b
: the quality or state of being satisfied : contentment
c
: a source or means of enjoyment : gratification
3
a
: compensation for a loss or injury : atonement, restitution
b
: the discharge of a legal obligation or claim
4
: convinced assurance or certainty
proved to the satisfaction of the court

Examples of satisfaction in a Sentence

He gets great satisfaction from volunteering. the satisfaction of a job well done There is some satisfaction in knowing I was right. She finds a certain satisfaction in helping others. the satisfaction of his deep craving for love I complained to the manager about the poor service but did not get any satisfaction. See More
Recent Examples on the Web There’s tremendous satisfaction in witnessing Kweli discover the world, and joy in being the one to shepherd these discoveries. Anja Mutic, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2023 And there’s a satisfaction in playing with that imagery as a literary device. Vulture, 20 Sep. 2023 All these years later, participants find an unlikely sort of satisfaction in the ritual. Amelia Nierenberg, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2023 In a report released last month which surveyed over 8,000 passengers, Which? revealed that Ryanair had the second-lowest customer score, a measure of overall satisfaction, of just 52%. Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2023 Although most expressed relative satisfaction with their jobs, there were concerns. Susan Glaser, cleveland, 15 Sep. 2023 The world is calling you to stretch your wings as the Moon flies into your 9th House of Expansion, highlighting all the satisfaction waiting for you out beyond the horizon. Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 13 Sep. 2023 And Frontier’s satisfaction with how things are going suggests that the leverage, perhaps for the first time since the advent of cable TV, may indeed lie with the distributor. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Sep. 2023 Los Angeles officials generally profess satisfaction with its work, which first drew notice in the 2021 removal of a large homeless encampment from Echo Park, when ambassadors worked alongside outreach workers from other agencies urging people to accept offers of shelter. Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'satisfaction.' 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

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin satisfaction-, satisfactio, from Latin, reparation, amends, from satisfacere to satisfy

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of satisfaction was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near satisfaction

Cite this Entry

“Satisfaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/satisfaction. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

satisfaction

noun
sat·​is·​fac·​tion ˌsat-əs-ˈfak-shən How to pronounce satisfaction (audio)
1
a
: the quality or state of being satisfied
b
: a cause of satisfaction
2
: something that makes up for a loss or injury
3

Legal Definition

satisfaction

noun
sat·​is·​fac·​tion
1
a
: the act or fact of satisfying
b
: execution of an accord by performance of the substituted obligation
often used in the phrase accord and satisfaction
compare accord sense 3, transaction sense 3
c
: a document indicating that an obligation has been satisfied
a satisfaction of mortgage
2
: the quality or state of being satisfied

More from Merriam-Webster on satisfaction

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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