gratifying

1 of 2

adjective

grat·​i·​fy·​ing ˈgra-tə-ˌfī-iŋ How to pronounce gratifying (audio)
Synonyms of gratifying
: giving pleasure or satisfaction : pleasing
a gratifying result
gratifyingly
ˈgra-tə-ˌfī-iŋ-lē How to pronounce gratifying (audio)
adverb

gratifying

2 of 2

present participle of gratify

Synonyms of gratifying

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Adjective

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Examples of gratifying in a Sentence

Adjective It was a gratifying victory. The response has been gratifying.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Paul Greengrass But particularly shooting out in the wilderness, shooting out in nature, felt really, really gratifying. — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2026 Trusting my intuition has proved both helpful and really gratifying. — Sarah Stillman, The New York Review of Books, 28 July 2026 Nothing is more gratifying, in sports as elsewhere, than the sight of overdogs with their tails between their legs. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 17 July 2026 That brittleness, though, is exactly what has made Criston’s turn toward nihilism at the end of the second season, and now crystallized in episode five, so gratifying. — The Editors, Vulture, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gratifying

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gratifying was circa 1611

Rhymes for gratifying

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Browse Nearby Words

gratify
gratifying
gratifyingly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gratifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gratifying. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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