Gratification Meaning
/ˌɡɹætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe act of gratifying or pleasing, either the mind, or the appetite or taste.
nounA gratuity; a reward.
Sentence Examples
That job gave him little gratification.
He had the gratification of seeing his son graduate from collage.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
Finishing the difficult task gave him a sense of ____ and joy.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The researcher studied how people seek immediate ____ versus waiting for a much larger long-term reward.
Word Origin & History
From Latin grātificātiō either directly or through Middle French gratification, from Latin grātificō (“to do a favor to, oblige, please, gratify”), from grātus (“kind, pleasing”) + faciō (“to make”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"I know nothing of Mr. Courtenaye; but I can perceive enough of this affair to see that he is one of those who, for a moment's selfish gratification, or for the yet meaner love of gratified vanity, will excite the deepest feelings, and trifle with the dearest hopes of all who trust them!"
— 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 295–296:
"Many of the so-called rites of these secret societies were so patently ridiculous, that it is quite obvious that they were merely an excuse for men and women to indulge in sex-play and lustful gratification, frequently of an abnormal kind."
— 1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 161:
"I will tell you all my faults frankly beforehand. I am very vain, for I cultivate my vanity on a principle, and cannot understand why we should neglect such a source of gratification."
— 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Confidence”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 102:
"To my gratification he told me I could reënter the institution, and that he would trust me to pay the debt when I could."
— 1900, Booker T[aliaferro] Washington, “Helping Others”, in Up from Slavery: An Autobiography, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Co., published 1901, →OCLC, page 66:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Finishing the difficult task gave him a sense of ____ and joy.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The researcher studied how people seek immediate ____ versus waiting for a much larger long-term reward.