Gratifying

ˈɡræ.tɪ.faɪ.ɪŋ

adjectivemedium📊CommonEmotion
1 meaning3 questions

Definitions

1

Giving pleasure or satisfaction; pleasing.

ˈɡræ.tɪ.faɪ.ɪŋ

adjectivepositivemedium
Emotion

Giving pleasure or satisfaction.

It was gratifying to see the team succeed after so much hard work.

💡 Simply: Imagine you finally finished a really challenging video game level, and you feel awesome. That feeling? That's gratifying. It means something makes you feel good and happy.

👶 For kids: When something makes you feel happy and good, it's gratifying!

More Examples

2

The positive reviews for his book were extremely gratifying.

3

For her, it was a gratifying experience to volunteer at the animal shelter.

4

Winning the award was a gratifying moment.

How It's Used

General

"The chef received a gratifying response to his new dish."

Personal

"It was gratifying to see the positive impact of her hard work."

Synonyms & Antonyms

From Latin *gratus* (pleasing, agreeable) + -*fy* (to make), influenced by the French word *gratifier*.

The word 'gratifying' has been used since the 17th century, reflecting the human desire for pleasure and satisfaction. It was often used in philosophical and literary contexts.

Memory tip

Think of 'grates' like a delicious meal; the experience makes you satisfied.

Word Origin

LanguageLatin
Original meaning

"pleasing, agreeable, thankful"

highly gratifyingdeeply gratifyingpersonally gratifyinggratifying experiencegratifying results

Common misspellings

gratifiyinggratifyng

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written