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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 For Deion, seeing Shedeur making strides in his second season is gratifying. — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 31 July 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
  • And of course there’s a bookstore in town for indulging your inner Rory.
    — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • From turning heads on the sidewalk to indulging at a local pub, the London native hits the streets with a touch of British humor and charm.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of indulge
Verb
  • To satisfy its voracity for billions of pages, Anthropic started out by placing mass orders with wholesalers, before turning to individual and secondhand booksellers to help fill in the gaps.
    — Francesca Mancino, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2026
  • There are other ways to provide enrichment, like rotating toys every day to stimulate exploration, using puzzle feeder dishes to satisfy hunting behaviors and playing videos for your cat showing birds or fish.
    — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of satisfy
Verb
  • Or, the panel could do something else, confounding financial markets but pleasing the president.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026
  • But any joy, however brief, was eventually ground down by the ceremony’s anxious need to please.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of please
Verb
  • Joy has done nothing but delight us, so a villain Gen shall become.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Here, misfits are welcome, and bric-a-brac is part of the appeal; the wonderfully bizarre name and devil-may-care attitude have been confusing (and delighting) first-timers for more than 70 years.
    — Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 13 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
  • Italy, Spain and other European countries experienced extreme temperatures in the world’s fastest-warming continent.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The Environmental Protection Agency is abandoning federal limits on planet-warming pollution from coal and gas power plants, dismantling most Biden-era climate rules in the name of lowering energy costs.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of warm
Verb
  • And with 10 games remaining, the Royals have a chance to spoil the playoff hopes of a few teams still on their schedule.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026
  • That’s 10 games against teams that don’t have much to play for, aside from spoiling Toronto’s season.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of spoil

Browse Nearby Words

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 20 Sep. 2026.

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