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.
Recent Examples on the Web Independent shops received the highest scores for satisfaction with price, while dealerships tended to score lowest. USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024 The complex was originally slated to be done in mid-2022, but the timeline was pushed back, first by the COVID-19 pandemic, and later by the need for more time to complete the new buildings to the county's satisfaction. Detroit Free Press, 21 Mar. 2024 Americans’ satisfaction with their personal lives—a measure that usually dips in times of economic uncertainty—is at a near-record low, according to Gallup polling. George Makari, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024 The number of participants varies, but about 1,000 people usually respond from each country each year, rating their current life satisfaction on a scale from zero to 10. Victoria Bisset, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 The security enhancements, which cost $4.2 million per year, came in response to a passenger satisfaction survey that showed more security was a high priority for riders. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024 Yet after channeling Jean’s late sister to her customer’s satisfaction, things get shakier when she’s pulled into sitting down with Dr. Patel’s wife Tracy (Sarah Goldberg) to get at the root of her unhappiness. Stephen Saito, Variety, 16 Mar. 2024 This sort of scoring regimen would be an ideal complementary extension to the FDA’s Nutrition Facts labels, improving both public health and consumer satisfaction. Julie Chapon, Fortune Europe, 5 Mar. 2024 Since 2022, worker satisfaction doubled, engagement skyrocketed by 43%, and voluntary employee turnover decreased by 69%. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024

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 29 Mar. 2024.

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

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