gratifying

American

[grat-uh-fahy-ing] / ˈgræt əˌfaɪ ɪŋ /

adjective

tending to gratify; giving or causing satisfaction; pleasing.

Usage

What are other ways to say gratifying?

Something that is gratifying gives or causes satisfaction. But calling something gratifying isn’t exactly the same as calling it pleasing or interesting. Find out why on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

gratifyingly adverb
nongratifying adjective
nongratifyingly adverb
ungratifying adjective

Etymology

Origin of gratifying

First recorded in 1605–15; gratify + -ing ²

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.

“Dopamine,” he writes, “the chemical in the brain that causes a gratifying, potentially addictive emotion, is triggered by the pursuit of a reward,” not the winning itself.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I’ve heard it said numerous times: That’s where the blues comes from. And as an actor who participated in that moment, communicating that is extraordinary and profoundly gratifying.”

From Los Angeles Times

Rights groups called it a death sentence for the 78-year-old, whose family has raised concerns about his health, but Hong Kong's leader said it was "deeply gratifying".

From BBC

Dr. Daniels finds “particularly gratifying” the reception of his writings in Brazil.

From The Wall Street Journal

This is usually gratifying work, but in “Vigil” she encounters a hard case: the oil baron K.J.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023