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 In gratifying the left, the Warren Court debilitated the long tradition of opposing judicial supremacy. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 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 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
  • His current employer is Damien Cantor, an authentically sleazy and slippery character who operates under no discernible code beyond indulging a dumb, preening narcissism.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of indulge
Verb
  • But other fairly savvy users among tech mavens don’t point to urgent needs that only Muse can satisfy.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Visually stylish and well-acted, this is a pulpy thriller that satisfies.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 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
  • Tse Yang was the finest Chinese restaurant to open in Madrid, and its crispy Peking Duck has been delighting locals for years.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The kind of mid-budget delights Cruise specialized are struggling to exist.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 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
  • The continent is thought to have some 4,000 butterfly species, but many face habitat destruction as a result of urbanization and a rapidly warming planet.
    — Sophie Neiman, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency ceded some of its climate authority by repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas.
    — LINDSAY WHITEHURST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 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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gratify
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Cite this Entry

“Gratify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gratify. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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