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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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Trumps
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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.
See Examples For:
While one could read this as a testament to everlasting love, I find it most moving as a bit of well-earned gratification.
From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026
In other words, Pokémon is an exercise in delayed gratification and acceptance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026
Is he willing to make sacrifices for the long-term good, or is he susceptible to the pull of short-term gratification?
From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026
I think delayed gratification is undervalued in your columns.
From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026
And when it comes to social connection, What is the value of immediate gratification?
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Such support can come with deprivations as well as gratifications.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026
It is taking individual responsibility rather than indulging in the fleeting gratifications of individualism.
From Salon ● May 14, 2023
In addition, Afzal had allegedly given gratifications totalling about $165,000 to other individuals on multiple occasions as “inducements or rewards for them to place orders with KPI for the supply of bunker fuel.”
From Reuters ● Oct. 20, 2021
Watching smart and pragmatic Marian allow love to trump reason in her life is one of the gratifications of “The Music Man,” and Ms. Carson undergoes a compelling transformation.
From New York Times ● Apr. 4, 2014
Passion, on the contrary, when the soul is a stranger to it, is made up of egotism and material gratifications.
From Artist and Model (The Divorced Princess) by Ren? de Pont-Jest
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.
