Satisfy Definition & Meaning

American

British

Related Words

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms satisfy American [sat-is-fahy] / ˈsæt ɪsˌfaɪ /

verb (used with object)

satisfied, satisfying

1. to fulfill the desires, expectations, needs, or demands of (a person, the mind, etc.); give full contentment to.

   The hearty meal satisfied him.

   Synonyms: please, pacify, appease, gratify

2. to put an end to (a desire, want, need, etc.) by sufficient or ample provision.

   The hearty meal satisfied his hunger.

3. to give assurance to; convince.

   to satisfy oneself by investigation.

   Synonyms: persuade

4. to answer sufficiently, as an objection.

5. to solve or dispel, as a doubt.

6. to discharge fully (a debt, obligation, etc.).

7. to make reparation to or for.

   to satisfy an offended person; to satisfy a wrong.

8. to pay (a creditor).

9. Mathematics.

   1. to fulfill the requirements or conditions of.

      to satisfy a theorem.

   2. (of a value of an unknown) to change (an equation) into an identity when substituted for the unknown: x = 2 satisfies 3 x = 6.

verb (used without object)

satisfied, satisfying

1. to give satisfaction.

satisfy British / ˈsætɪsˌfaɪ /

verb

1. (also intr) to fulfil the desires or needs of (a person)

2. to provide amply for (a need or desire)

3. to relieve of doubt; convince

4. to dispel (a doubt)

5. to make reparation to or for

6. to discharge or pay off (a debt) to (a creditor)

7. to fulfil the requirements of; comply with

   you must satisfy the terms of your lease

8. maths logic to fulfil the conditions of (a theorem, assumption, etc); to yield a truth by substitution of the given value

   x = 3 satisfies x² – 4x + 3 = 0

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

Satisfy, content refer to meeting one's desires or wishes. To satisfy is to meet to the full one's wants, expectations, etc.: to satisfy a desire to travel. To content is to give enough to keep one from being disposed to find fault or complain: to content oneself with a moderate meal.

Other Word Forms

• nonsatisfying adjective
• outsatisfy verb (used with object)
• presatisfy verb (used with object)
• satisfiable adjective
• satisfier noun
• satisfying adjective
• satisfyingly adverb
• satisfyingness noun
• supersatisfy verb (used with object)
• unsatisfiable adjective

Etymology

Origin of satisfy

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English satisfien, from Middle French satisfier, from unattested Vulgar Latin satisficāre (for Latin satisfacere “to do enough”; satisfaction ); -fy

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.

You have opinions about food; this is one of the simplest, most satisfying ways to let them show.

From Salon

They looked at 900 examples of tasks given to AI, ranging from analysing data for new insights to checking whether a piece of work satisfies particular rules.

From BBC

No anthology will completely satisfy everyone: Every act of inclusion requires exclusions.

From The Wall Street Journal

He adds: "We arranged well over 20,000 trusts and the vast majority understood and were satisfied".

From BBC

Commercial banks previously had satisfied their need for liquid reserve assets in a variety of ways, including trading among themselves in an overnight-reserves lending market.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• amuse
• appease
• assuage
• delight
• elate
• entertain
• fascinate
• flatter
• gratify
• mollify
• placate

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.