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.
"I'm waiting in the hope of fulfilling my ambition, which is tied to the reopening of the crossing," said Hawajri, 18.
From Barron's
But having lost four other finals, there is an inescapable feeling that the world number one is not quite fulfilling her potential on the sport's grandest stages.
From BBC
The Champions League and FA Cup offer hope of fulfilling that ambition, while crucial Premier League clashes with Newcastle and Manchester City loom in the next fortnight.
From Barron's
You are also young enough to find another, perhaps more fulfilling or less stressful job and work another 10-15 years.
From MarketWatch
The regulator, Ofcom, said at the time tougher age checks were fulfilling their purpose of stopping children stumbling across inappropriate material.
From BBC
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.
