fulfilling
Americanadjective
Usage
What does fulfilling mean? Fulfilling means providing or resulting in satisfaction or contentment.A job is fulfilling when it allows a person to fully use their talents and work on projects that they enjoy and that they find meaning in. A relationship is fulfilling for someone when it brings them happiness and a deep connection.Fulfilling is also the continuous tense (-ing form) of the verb fulfill, meaning “to satisfy” or “to bring about” (which is how it’s used in the term self-fulfilling, as in self-fulfilling prophecy).Something that’s fulfilling leads to fulfillment—a state of satisfaction or contentment. Someone who feels this way can be described as fulfilled.Example: My trip across Europe has been so fulfilling—I’ve learned new languages and new cultures, and, most importantly, I’ve learned new things about myself.
Etymology
Origin of fulfilling
First recorded in 1300–50; fulfill ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. )
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.
The company added that it will continue to focus on fulfilling orders in the U.S. while re-evaluating its approach to international availability.
From Barron's
Illness prevented him from fulfilling his post-series presentation and media duties as captain.
From BBC
Helping clients feel safe in the world is what’s most fulfilling, he says.
From Los Angeles Times
One British financial site has come up with a bucket-list “calculator” to tally the cost of fulfilling all your fantasies.
From MarketWatch
And while it’s important to be realistic when job hunting, remember that there are many available positions that are both fulfilling and well-paid.
From MarketWatch
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.
