gratifying

[ grat-uh-fahy-ing ]

adjective

1. tending to gratify; giving or causing satisfaction; pleasing.

Other Words From

• grati·fying·ly adverb
• non·grati·fying adjective
• non·grati·fying·ly adverb
• un·grati·fying adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gratifying¹

First recorded in 1605–15; gratify + -ing ²

Example Sentences

It’s super-gratifying to know that it’s being used and is helping someone.

From Washington Post

After the series ran, there was a gratifying push to address many of the systemic weaknesses our journalism exposed.

From ProPublica

But, for me, the most gratifying one and my favorite has to be the 2020 Olympic Trials in Atlanta because that’s the one where a lot of people never thought I was going to make it and thought I was just looking to participate in the Trials.

From Outside Online

For Lim, 91, this is particularly gratifying because “these projects were major civic buildings won by open architectural competition,” he notes.

From MIT Technology Review

That for me was by far the most gratifying part of the whole experience.

From Eater

“It feels very gratifying having gotten here,” Condon says of his Broadway debut.

From The Daily Beast

Less gratifying, though, was the vague reasoning she gave for leaving, essentially saying she likes the number 25.

From The Daily Beast

More gratifying is that millions of people have heard of it.

From The Daily Beast

Yet the tale baseball historians have pieced together is gratifying enough for it not to matter.

From The Daily Beast

I love my job and have found work to be gratifying and even calming during periods when other parts of my life are far less so.

From The Daily Beast

That is a very lofty, poetical, and gratifying conception, but it is open to one fatal objection—it is not true.

From Project Gutenberg

Edna had staked her father on his last venture, with the most gratifying results to both of them.

From Project Gutenberg

I confess that this reception is gratifying, and have no doubt but that you will also feel a pleasure in it.

From Project Gutenberg

I go into these details because it is my first public success, and consequently very gratifying.

From Project Gutenberg

To be called Thomas was gratifying, but the Mr. was quite overpowering and made Tom her ally at once.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• delightful
• enjoyable
• pleasant
• pleasing

When To Use

What are other ways to say gratifying?

Something that is gratifying gives or causes satisfaction. But calling something gratifying isn’t exactly the same as calling it pleasing or interesting. Find out why on Thesaurus.com.