Feeling satisfied because one's abilities or purpose are used well.
Reach for it when describing deep satisfaction from using one's abilities or living with purpose
She felt fulfilled after teaching her first literacy class.
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm |
|
| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
everyday
Fits when needs or expectations have been adequately met
Careful Satisfied can be temporary and lacks a sense of purpose.
warm
Fits when quiet acceptance and enoughness are central
Careful Contentment may require no achievement or active calling.
professional
Fits when clear meaning directs a person's actions
Careful Purposeful describes orientation, not the resulting satisfaction.
formal
Fits when a particular outcome brings welcome satisfaction
Careful Gratified is usually briefer and more event-specific.
formal
self-realized
Fits when a person's capacities have developed into lived expression
Careful Self-realized is theoretical and can sound self-congratulatory.
literary
Fits when the feeling is one of wholeness
Careful Calling a person complete can imply that growth has ended.
feel fulfilled
She began to feel fulfilled after mentoring new nurses.
personally fulfilled
He felt personally fulfilled by the literacy project.
fulfilled life
A fulfilled life can still include uncertainty and change.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Neskaya, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated
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