Gratify
/ˈɡrætəˌfaɪ/
verbB2
Definition
Gratify means to make someone feel happy or satisfied, often by giving them something they want or by fulfilling their wishes. It usually involves a positive feeling of pleasure or reward that comes from meeting desires or expectations.
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See It in Action
To please or satisfy someone’s desires or feelings
- •The teacher was gratified by the students’ hard work.
- •She was gratified to hear good news about her family.
- •His success gratified his parents.
To give pleasure or satisfaction to oneself or others
- •He gratified his craving for chocolate after dinner.
- •The movie gratified the audience’s expectations.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "gratify" like "please" (A1 word), but it often means a deeper or more personal feeling of happiness or satisfaction
- ✓Picture someone smiling and feeling warm inside after receiving a gift they really wanted
- ✓It's the feeling you get when someone thanks you because you helped them or made them happy
- ✓Sounds like "GRAT-uh-fy" → imagine a "great gift" that makes you feel good inside
- ✓Think of stories where a hero's kind actions gratify the people they help, making everyone feel joyful
- ✓NOT like "give" (just giving something), "gratify" means the giving causes happiness or satisfaction
- ✓NOT like "satisfy" (which can be about needs), "gratify" often focuses on pleasure or emotional happiness
- ✓NOT like "reward" (which is often formal or official), "gratify" is more about personal feelings of pleasure
Try Other Words
- •Please: to make someone happy or satisfied (Use when the happiness is simple or casual)
- •Satisfy: to meet needs or desires (Use when focusing on fulfilling needs rather than emotional pleasure)
- •Delight: to give great pleasure or joy (Use when the happiness is very strong or joyful)
- •Fulfill: to complete or satisfy a desire or need (Use when emphasizing completion or achievement)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: from Latin root "gratus" meaning "pleasing" + suffix "-ify" meaning "to make or cause"
- •Etymology: From Latin "gratificari," meaning to do a favor or please someone
- •Historical development: Entered English in the 16th century, originally meaning to show favor or kindness, later focusing on making someone happy
- •Modern usage: Used to describe actions that cause pleasure, satisfaction, or happiness, often in formal or literary contexts
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when you felt gratified by someone’s words or actions? What made it special?
•How is feeling gratified different from just feeling happy or satisfied?
Fill in the blanks
1.She was gratified ___ the praise she received for her painting.
2.To gratify someone’s wishes, you often need to understand their ___.
3.Unlike just giving a gift, to gratify means to make the person feel ___.
4.He gratified his hunger by eating a big meal after the long walk, which made him feel ___.
5.The manager was gratified ___ the team's success and thanked everyone personally.
6.When you gratify someone, you usually see their ___ or hear their thanks.
7.Gratify is different from satisfy because it often involves ___ feelings, not just meeting needs.