sate

¹ American  

[seyt] / seɪt /

verb (used with object)

sated, sating

1. to satisfy (any appetite or desire) fully.

   Synonyms:

   fill, satiate

2. to fill to excess; surfeit; glut.

   Synonyms:

   stuff, gorge

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sate ² American  

[sat, seyt] / sæt, seɪt /

verb

Archaic.

1. simple past tense and past participle of sit.

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sate ¹ British  

/ seɪt /

verb

1. to satisfy (a desire or appetite) fully

2. to supply beyond capacity or desire

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sate ² British  

/ sæt, seɪt /

verb

1. archaic a past tense and past participle of sit

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Etymology

Origin of sate

First recorded in 1595–1605; variant of obsolete sade “to satiate,” Old English sadian (akin to sad ), perhaps influenced by satiate

Explanation

Sometimes you're so hungry you feel like you could eat a ten-course meal. Other times it takes just a small salad to sate your appetite, or to satisfy your hunger. The verb sate comes from the Old English sadian, “to satiate,” and can be applied to any situation regarding the satisfaction of a need or an appetite. If you have been craving something sweet, your craving might be sated by a bag of jellybeans. However, if it seems like you can never get enough jellybeans, your appetite for sweets might be described as insatiable, a word used to describe a person or entity whose appetites — literally or figuratively — are impossible to satisfy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sate sated sating

Investors regard Bloom’s solid oxide fuel cell as a robust source of power to sate data centers’ endless appetite.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

I always order chicken sate and the green papaya salad.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2026

The startup says its discoveries can help sate the U.S.’s thirst for power.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 21, 2026

It seems likely that Sir Keir's rhetoric in PMQs will sate some Labour MPs for now.

From BBC ● Jan. 21, 2026

We betook ourselves below and sate ourselves with great satisfaction.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Oil markets have been relatively subdued considering the escalating conflict, in part because global consumers are well sated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026

Ryan thwarted Bellingham again as tensions calmed by the end, with the crowd temporarily sated by the victory.

From Barron's ● Jan. 17, 2026

Power can never have enough, it can't be sated.

From Salon ● May 26, 2025

In fact, give him those and his appetite for golfing success would be finally sated.

From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2025

I've seen him drunk and sober, hungry and sated, loud and louder, in love and in longing.

From "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan

Another visitor disagreed, sating: "It's just one sign... I think it's good advertising. It gets seen a lot."

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

As such, she’s the frontrunner in Round 1, but there are major obstacles to the “Yellowjackets” star sating the show’s hunger for a major prize.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2023

He looks at everything external as a tool for sating his own immediate desires, rather than recognizing the humanity of the people he’s using.

From Slate ● Feb. 27, 2020

Thousands of blogs, Facebook posts and Instagram pictures of smashed avocado on toast also diffuse around the world, sating our narcissistic desire to tell everyone how healthy we are or hope to be.

From Salon ● May 10, 2017

But beyond sating the national pride that had been pricked by the Soviet advance, the prospect of being involved in something that was so untried, untested, and unexplored connected with Katherine’s truest self.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Related Words

• gratify
• satiate