GRAT-uh-feyed
/ˈɡɹætəˌfaɪd/
gratified is pronounced GRAT-uh-feyed (/ˈɡɹætəˌfaɪd/). Gratified means feeling pleased or satisfied because something good has happened or been done for you. It describes a sense of reward or fulfillment, often resulting from a desired outcome or recognition. The term can apply to emotions in response to tangible actions, compliments, or achievements, and it carries a tone of contentment and endorsement.
Gratified means feeling pleased or satisfied because something good has happened or been done for you. It describes a sense of reward or fulfillment, often resulting from a desired outcome or recognition. The term can apply to emotions in response to tangible actions, compliments, or achievements, and it carries a tone of contentment and endorsement.
"She was gratified by the positive feedback from her supervisor."
"The crowd’s cheers gratified the athletes after their hard-won victory."
"Hearing that the project would be funded finally left him gratified and relieved."
Gratified is pronounced /græˈtɪfaɪd/ in US and UK English, with stress on the second syllable. Start with /græ/ as in gram, then /ˈtɪ/ with a short, crisp 'i' like in tip, and end with /faɪd/ as in file. The 'ti' is a soft 't' followed by a long 'i' diphthong; the final 'ed' is not pronounced as a separate syllable, but as /d/ after /ɪfaɪ/.
Common mistakes include stressing the wrong syllable (grə-TI-fied instead of græ-TI-fied) and mispronouncing the final /aɪd/ as /ɪd/ or /ə/; also omitting the second syllable vowel making it sound like 'gratifed'. Correct by emphasizing the second syllable and producing /ɪ/ in /tɪ/ clearly, then glide into /faɪd/ without breaking the /d/. Practice with a focused breath to avoid run-on.
In US, /græˈtɪfaɪd/ with a flat /æ/ like cat and /aɪ/ as the in-time diphthong. UK variants /ˈɡrætɪfaɪd/ place primary stress on the first syllable? Actually yes, UK commonly uses /græˈtɪfaɪd/ as well with similar credentials, but some regional speakers may reduce /æ/ toward /a/ in rapid speech. Australian tends to maintain /æ/ as in 'cat' and keeps /aɪ/ as a bright diphthong, similar to US, though vowel quality may be slightly fronted.
The difficulty centers on the middle /tɪ/ syllable and the final /faɪd/ diphthong: you need a clean, short /t/ after /æ/, followed by a high, rising /aɪ/ glide into /d/. The cluster gr- can also create a moment of hesitation if you don’t smoothly connect the /r/ or /ɹ/ depending on accent. Practicing the sequence gr- + /æ/ + /tɪ/ + /faɪd/ helps.
The key is the /ɪ/ in /tɪ/ and the tight, quick transition into /faɪd/. Ensure the /t/ is tactile and not swallowed; keep the /ɪ/ short and crisp, then glide into a strong /aɪ/ before the final /d/. Also watch the vocal track: maintain a mid-to-high vowel height in /æ/ to prevent a dull, lowered sound.
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Gratified originates from the Latin word gratificare, from grat-, meaning pleasing or thankful, and facere, to do or make. The root grat- appears in gratitude and grateful. In medieval and early modern Europe, gratia (grace, favor) contributed to senses of giving pleasure or reward. The English adjective gratified emerged in the 16th–17th centuries, initially toward religious and charitable contexts, then expanding to secular use as one feels rewarded or pleased by outcomes or actions. By the 18th and 19th centuries, gratified had generalized to everyday emotional responses to favorable events, recognition, or tangible benefits. First known uses align with expressions of satisfaction after positive reinforcement or acknowledgment. The word retains a formal-but-common register, often appearing in written or carefully spoken discourse rather than casual slang. Over time, the sense of being rewarded has broadened from a primarily internal emotional state to include external validation and outcomes experienced as satisfying or rewarding.
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Words that rhyme with "gratified"
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