gratifying 1 of 2

adjective

ˈgra-tə-ˌfī-iŋ How to pronounce gratifying (audio)
Definition of gratifyingnext
1
as in enjoyable
giving pleasure or contentment to the mind or senses a spectacular film that is gratifying to both the mind and the eyes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in comforting
making one feel good inside your warm welcome sure is gratifying to this tired soul

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

gratifying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of gratify
1
as in pleasing
to give in to (a desire) just gratify this one whim of mine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in satisfying
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 gratifying
Adjective
Separated-at-birth is an intriguing theory, and of course very gratifying to those in the Plymouth/Roundhead/blue half of America. — James Traub, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 The most gratifying part of the process for her is seeing the scope of readers who relate to Mitchell’s work. — Kaitlyn Harvey, AJC.com, 8 June 2026
Verb
But any correspondence between string theory and experiment is gratifying to Vafa, who has spent the past four decades trying to wrest the theory from the purely conceptual realm to the point of generating testable predictions. — Quanta Magazine, 22 June 2026 The original is a gratifying valentine. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for gratifying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gratifying
  1. enjoyable
  2. comforting
  3. pleasing
  4. satisfying
  5. pleasant
  6. encouraging
  7. indulging
  8. delighting
Adjective
  • The garden's pond reflects the lovely surrounding scenery, and the harmonious beauty is enjoyable with every step and across the changing seasons.
    — Hiroshige Yazawa Japan News, Arkansas Online, 19 July 2026
  • Furniture stains and splotches are the last thing anyone wants to think about when curating the perfect domestic space, but there’s nothing remotely enjoyable about discolored blobs on furniture.
    — Bridget Reed Morawski, Architectural Digest, 17 July 2026
Definition of enjoyable
Adjective
  • Dishes range from savory and comforting, like the locro quiteño soup made with chola potatoes and topped with crunchy chulpi corn, to bright and refreshing, like the peanutty ceviche popular in the coastal Manabí Province.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
  • The comforting story, that AI will change everyone's job but yours, is the most dangerous thing a manager can believe right now.
    — Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of comforting
Verb
  • Long-haul business-class menus are expansive, with a mix of unique Fijian dishes and crowd-pleasing standards.
    — Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2026
  • Use up the last of those fresh summer peaches on this crowd-pleasing fruit cobbler recipe that only calls for six ingredients.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 11 July 2026
Definition of pleasing
Verb
  • Paxton even distinctly remembers the duo satisfying a Big Mac craving after watching Supersize Me together.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026
  • Installing peel-and-stick wallpaper is an excellent starter DIY that feels satisfying and packs a punch.
    — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 13 July 2026
Definition of satisfying
Adjective
  • Daunt’s pool area is entirely pleasant right now, but Leo and Home have big plans for it, including the addition of a yoga area and a massage tent.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
  • Visual enhancements, such as a dark outline of the currently active interface element (think the search field in the Mail app), are a pleasant surprise.
    — Edward Mendelson, PC Magazine, 13 July 2026
Definition of pleasant
Adjective
  • Perhaps the most encouraging figure came outside the trophy end of the market.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026
  • This is an encouraging result after weaker-than-expected FICC revenue last quarter was a big blemish on the January-to-March results.
    — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 14 July 2026
Definition of encouraging
Verb
  • On that note, resist the urge to bury discomfort by indulging, shopping or being stubbornly silent.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026
  • Will blamed Cal for the idea; Cal, Will for indulging it; both of them the other for not being the one dead.
    — Emily Ruskovich, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
Definition of indulging
Verb
  • Buzz Lightyear and Woody have been delighting families for three decades.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • The Dutch were the neutral’s favourites throughout World Cup 1974, their Total Football taking the game to a new level, and delighting supporters with their fluidity, high defensive line and commitment to keep on attacking.
    — Michael Cox, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of delighting

Browse Nearby Words

gratify
gratifying
gratifyingly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gratifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gratifying. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on gratifying

Nglish: Translation of gratifying for Spanish Speakers

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of stalwart

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All