gratification
Americannoun
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the act of gratifying or the state of being gratified
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something that gratifies
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an obsolete word for gratuity
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gratification
First recorded in 1590–1600, gratification is from the Latin word grātificātiōn- (stem of grātificātiō ). See gratify, -ation
Explanation
Pleasure is gratification, whether it’s given or received. Everyone has desires, and when those desires get fulfilled, that’s gratification. You’re reading this sentence to understand the word gratification, and soon you’ll know it back and forth, which will give you a feeling of gratification. The word comes from the Latin gratificari, meaning “give or do as a favor,” and a deeper root is gratus, which means “pleasing, thankful.” Doing a favor for someone is a surefire ways to create a sense of gratification, both for them and for yourself, being such a kind, giving person.
Vocabulary lists containing gratification
Trumps
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Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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Excerpt from "The Philosophy of Literary Form" by Kenneth Burke
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yesterday, I prayed to the flowers and trees Gratification to the powers that be Synchronization with my energy chakras, the ghost of Dr. Sebi Paid it forward, cleaned out my toxins, bacteria heavy.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 5, 2022
Perhaps a more practical approach is Immediate Gratification Meditation.
From Washington Times • Dec. 23, 2019
The tech news site Re/Code has called it the Instant Gratification Economy, and it will transform us.
From Washington Post • Sep. 23, 2015
For Bike Advocates, Delayed Gratification IT was supposed to be the summer of bike share.
From New York Times • Aug. 11, 2012
Gratification showed itself in little lines that coursed about her mouth, and her eyes illumined as when a light shines through a window.
From The Red Acorn by McElroy, John
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.