To give someone welcome pleasure or a sense that an effort has been fulfilled.
Reach for it when describing satisfaction caused by a response or result rather than indulgence
The strong turnout will gratify everyone who planned the event.
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal |
|
| literary |
playful
indulge
Fits when a desire is allowed for temporary pleasure
Careful Indulge can enable excess and lacks gratify's neutral fulfillment.
everyday
Fits when the effect is ordinary enjoyment or approval
Careful Something can please through preference alone, with no fulfilled effort or desire.
warm
Fits when the result brings vivid happiness
Careful Delight is brighter and may overstate a sober sense of fulfillment.
professional
Fits when the pleasure follows effort and feels deserved
Careful Reward may involve payment or recognition rather than inward satisfaction.
professional
Fits when a need, condition, or expectation is met
Careful Satisfy can be purely functional and emotionally neutral.
literary
warm the heart
Fits when a humane outcome produces tender pleasure
Careful The phrase is sentimental and poorly suited to technical results.
gratify supporters
Visible progress should gratify supporters who funded the first phase.
gratify a wish
The extra rehearsal could gratify a wish without delaying opening night.
gratify the audience
The finale will gratify the audience without repeating the earlier spectacle.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated
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