gratify

verb

ˈgra-tə-ˌfī How to pronounce gratify (audio)
Definition of gratifynext
1
as in to indulge
to give in to (a desire) just gratify this one whim of mine

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to satisfy
to give satisfaction to your presence at the holiday table would really gratify your grandmother

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of gratify What’s most exciting or gratifying for you about this project, and having these programs include ASL now? — Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026 Both were very emotional and gratified when they were told that wreck had finally been found, Gates told CNN’s Boris Sanchez. — Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 21 July 2026 Still, it’s been gratifying to see both Americans and foreigners try not only yerba mate, but even drinks Cafe Corazon made specifically for the teams that played in Kansas City. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 19 July 2026 The novel plot is intricately structured and gratifying while the animation — which dips into various styles including impressionism — invites you into an awe-inspiring alternative world. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gratify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gratify
  1. indulge
  2. satisfy
  3. please
  4. delight
  5. humor
  6. warm
  7. spoil
Verb
  • My daughter was enchanted by the Balinese rice-on-the-forehead ritual for good fortune that is a part of the arrival, and the front desk staff happily indulged her request to do it again—multiple times a day.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
  • After the event was disrupted by an armed intruder, the Administration and the association scheduled a July do-over, where Trump delivered a rambling speech indulging seemingly every tangent that sprang to mind, but his contempt remained apparent.
    — Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of indulge
Verb
  • Even his eventual on-stage apology for not taking a stance couldn’t satisfy.
    — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2026
  • So trying to figure out how to satisfy both these components is the top-level consideration.
    — Devon Ivie, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of satisfy
Verb
  • None of this means the machine is annoyed, jealous or anxious to please.
    — Puneet Gaur, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Joel’s collection is also home to several Ducatis, something sure to please the snootier connoisseurs out there.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of please
Verb
  • Located in a petite strip mall off I-75, the doughnut shop lacks frills but delights with an array of yeast and cake-style doughnuts.
    — Lia Picard, AJC.com, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The independent company prioritized restoring the hotel, which has a place on the National Register of Historic Places, to its former splendor and updating it to delight modern sensibilities.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of delight
Verb
  • Difficult material, yes—but somehow Sandler injects snap and humor into these pages, whether they’re set at the welfare office or on the road in the Dominican Republic, making this a true pleasure to read.
    — Nicholas Boggs, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Just as the story mines humor from the collision of old-fashioned ways with a modern frankness, Paul’s score combines the appeal of jaunty golden-age sounds with a freshness that feels present day.
    — Naveen Kumar, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of humor
Verb
  • Powerful swells driven by recent storms amid a growing El Niño are warming ocean waters, causing sand erosion and drawing animals rarely seen to California’s shore.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • His restaurants only sell Connecticut-style lobster, warmed with butter.
    — Sadie Chafe, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of warm
Verb
  • But these two things at a certain time of year, because in the summer, the cottage cheese would rot, and the eggs would spoil.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Digger is, first and foremost, a parable—without spoiling the plot, its events are intentionally exaggerated to make a point about humans and climate change.
    — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of spoil

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gratifies
gratify
gratifying
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Cite this Entry

“Gratify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gratify. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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