gratify
gb/ɡɹˈætəfˌaɪ/ us/ɡɹˈætəfˌaɪ/
B2
English
~ 7200
Senses
0 senses
Verb
formal
B2
action
1
to make someone feel pleased
To make someone feel happy or pleased, often because you do what they want or show you value their work.
Usage pattern:
to gratify [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "gratify" with "thank." "Gratify" means to give someone pleasure or satisfaction, while "thank" means to express gratitude with words. For example, it is natural to say "Her success gratified her parents" but not "Her success thanked her parents." Also, learners may overuse "gratify" in casual speech where "make happy" or "please" sound more natural.
Synonyms
please (More common and neutral; used in both formal and informal situations, while "gratify" sounds more formal and often stronger.)
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satisfy (Suggests meeting needs or expectations; "gratify" focuses more on the emotional pleasure that comes from this.)
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delight (Stronger than "gratify" and often suggests great joy, not just calm satisfaction.)
Antonyms
disappoint (Describes failing to give the pleasure or satisfaction that someone expected, the opposite of gratifying them.)
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upset (Focuses on making someone feel bad or unhappy, which contrasts with making them feel pleased.)
Collocations
gratify someone
|be gratified by
|be gratified to hear
|be gratified to see
|deeply gratified
|gratify the audience
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|work
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The positive reviews greatly gratified the young director.
- It gratified her to know that her work had helped so many people.
- The company was gratified by the strong support from its customers.
- He felt gratified when his mentor praised his progress.
- We are gratified to see our efforts finally recognized.
Learner examples
- The good news gratified her parents.
- It gratified him to hear the kind words.
- The teacher was gratified by the students’ progress.
- She felt gratified when her boss said "well done."
- They were gratified by the warm welcome.
Verb
formal
C1
action
2
to satisfy a desire or need
To give what a desire, need, or curiosity wants, so that it feels satisfied.
Usage pattern:
to gratify [a desire/need/curiosity]
Common mistake:
Learners may think "gratify" is used only with people ("gratify him"), but it is also common with abstract nouns like "desire," "curiosity," and "need." Another mistake is using it in very casual situations where simpler verbs like "satisfy" or "fill" are more natural, for example, saying "I gratified my thirst" sounds overly formal; "I satisfied my thirst" or "I quenched my thirst" is better.
Synonyms
satisfy (The closest general synonym; slightly broader and more common, while "gratify" often sounds more formal or emotional.)
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indulge (Suggests allowing a desire or feeling, often one that might be excessive or not good for you; "gratify" does not always imply excess.)
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fulfill (Emphasizes completing or achieving a desire or need; "gratify" focuses more on the feeling of satisfaction when this happens.)
Antonyms
deny (Means to refuse to give what is desired, the opposite of satisfying or gratifying it.)
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frustrate (Means to prevent a desire or plan from being satisfied or completed, opposing the idea of gratifying it.)
Collocations
gratify a desire
|gratify a need
|gratify curiosity
|gratify an appetite
|gratify a wish
|gratify the senses
Themes
emotions
|psychology
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The book was written to gratify the public’s curiosity about life in the palace.
- The product is designed to gratify the growing demand for quick, healthy meals.
- He ate a large meal to gratify his hunger after the long hike.
- The film does little to gratify viewers’ desire for a clear ending.
- She refused to gratify their curiosity with more details.
Learner examples
- The short video gratified my curiosity about how the machine works.
- A hot meal gratified his hunger after work.
- The new game gratifies players’ need for a challenge.
- She did not want to gratify his desire for attention.
- The story gratified my wish to know what happened next.
Grammar
Dictionary form
gratify
IPA
GB/ɡɹˈætəfˌaɪ/
US/ɡɹˈætəfˌaɪ/
Syllables & stress
grat - i - fy (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (grat)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: gratify
- 3rd Person Singular: gratifies
- Present Participle: gratifying
- Past: gratified
Word family
Forms
gratifies
verb
gratifying
verb
gratified
verb
Core family
gratification
noun B2
Related words
gratifyingly
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
ungratifying
adjective
Expressions
gratify someone's ego
1/ɡɹˈætəfˌaɪ sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈiɡoʊ/
fixed phrase
to please someone's pride or vanity
To say or do something that makes someone feel proud and important, often more than is really necessary.
Examples
- The praise seemed designed mainly to gratify the manager’s ego.
- She refused to ask him for help because she did not want to gratify his ego.
- Expensive awards can sometimes do little more than gratify executives’ egos.
delay gratification
1/dɪlˈeɪ ɡɹˌætəfɪkˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
Resist immediate reward for later benefit
To wait for a bigger reward later instead of taking a smaller one now.
Examples
- Learning to delay gratification can help you save money.
- Children who can delay gratification often do better in school.
delay gratification
2/dɪlˈeɪ ɡɹˌætəfɪkˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
to wait to satisfy a desire
To stop yourself from taking a small pleasure now so you can get a better or bigger result later.
Examples
- Children who can delay gratification often do better in school and life.
- Saving money requires the ability to delay gratification instead of spending right away.
- He decided to delay gratification and study instead of going to the party.
instant gratification
1/ˈɪnstənt ɡɹˌætəfɪkˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
Immediate pleasure or satisfaction
Getting what you want right away without waiting.
Examples
- Online shopping encourages instant gratification.
- Online shopping provides instant gratification, because your purchase arrives with just a few clicks.
- Social media often encourages a desire for instant gratification.
- Social media often gives us instant gratification.
- Many apps are designed to give users instant gratification through quick rewards and notifications.
- Learning a language takes time, so you cannot expect instant gratification.
- Online shopping makes instant gratification easier, because your order arrives with just a few clicks.