Definition of 'satisfy'
Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense satisfies, present participle satisfying, past tense, past participle satisfied
1. transitive verb
If someone or something satisfies you, they give you enough of what you want or need to make you pleased or contented.
2. transitive verb
To satisfy someone that something is true or has been done properly means to convince them by giving them
more information or by showing them what has been done.
3. transitive verb
If you satisfy the requirements for something, you are good enough or have the right qualities to
fulfill these requirements.
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
satisfy in American English
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈsatisˌfied or ˈsatisˌfying
1.
2.
to fulfill or answer the requirements or conditions of (something)
3.
4.
6.
to make reparation to or for
verb intransitive
SYNONYMY NOTE: satisfy implies complete fulfillment of one's wishes, needs, expectations, etc.; content1 implies a filling of requirements to the degree that one is not disturbed by a desire
for something more or different [some persons are satisfied only by great wealth, others are contented with a modest but secure income]7.
to be satisfying, adequate, sufficient, etc.
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
satisfier (ˈsatisˌfier)
noun
Word Frequency
satisfy in American English
(ˈsætɪsˌfai) (verb -fied, -fying)
transitive verb
SYNONYMS 1. gratify, appease, pacify, please. 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. 3. persuade.1.
to fulfill the desires, expectations, needs, or demands of (a person, the mind, etc.); give full contentment to
The hearty meal satisfied him
2.
The hearty meal satisfied his hunger
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. Math
a.
to fulfill the requirements or conditions of
to satisfy a theorem
b. (of a value of an unknown)
x = 2 satisfies 3x = 6
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
satisfiable adjective
satisfier
noun
satisfyingly
adverb
satisfyingness
noun
Word origin
[1400–50; late ME satisfien ‹ MF satisfier ‹ VL *satisficāre (for L satisfacere to do enough; see satisfaction); see -fy]Word Frequency
satisfy in British English
verbWord forms: -fies, -fying, -fied (mainly tr)
4.
to dispel (a doubt)
5.
to make reparation to or for
8. mathematics, 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. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
satisfiable (ˈsatisˌfiable) adjective
satisfier (ˈsatisˌfier)
noun
satisfying (ˈsatisˌfying)
adjective
satisfyingly (ˈsatisˌfyingly)
adverb
Word origin
C15: from Old French satisfier, from Latin satisfacere, from satis enough + facere to make, do
Examples of 'satisfy' in a sentence
satisfy
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In other languages
satisfy
British English: satisfy
VERB /ˈsætɪsfaɪ/
If someone or something satisfies you, they give you enough of what you want or need to make you pleased or contented.
The pace of change has not been quick enough to satisfy everyone.
- American English: satisfy /ˈsætɪsfaɪ/
- Brazilian Portuguese: satisfazer
- Chinese: 使满意
- European Spanish: satisfacer
- French: satisfaire
- German: zufriedenstellen
- Italian: soddisfare
- Japanese: 満足させる
- Korean: 만족시키다
- European Portuguese: satisfazer
- Spanish: satisfacer
- Thai: ทำให้พอใจ
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Definition of satisfy from the Collins English Dictionary
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