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Definition of fulfilling adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

fulfilling

adjective
 
/fʊlˈfɪlɪŋ/
 
/fʊlˈfɪlɪŋ/
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  1. causing somebody to feel satisfied and useful
    • a fulfilling experience
    opposite unfulfilling
    • I’m finding the work much more fulfilling now.
    see also self-fulfilling
    Synonyms satisfyingsatisfyingrewarding ▪ pleasing ▪ gratifying ▪ fulfillingThese words all describe an experience, activity or fact that gives you pleasure because it provides something you need or want.satisfying that gives you pleasure because it provides something you need or want:
    • It’s satisfying to play a game really well.
    rewarding (of an experience or activity) that makes you happy because you think it is useful or important; worth doing:
    • Nursing can be a very rewarding career.
    pleasing (rather formal) that gives you pleasure, especially to look at, hear or think about:
    • It was a simple but pleasing design.
    gratifying (formal) that gives you pleasure, especially because it makes you feel that you have done well:
    • It is gratifying to see such good results.
    fulfilling (of an experience or activity) that makes you happy, because it makes you feel your skills and talents are being used:
    • I’m finding the work much more fulfilling now.
     satisfying, rewarding or fulfilling?Almost any experience, important or very brief, can be satisfying. Rewarding and fulfilling are used more for longer, more serious activities, such as jobs or careers. Satisfying and fulfilling are more about your personal satisfaction or happiness; rewarding is more about your sense of doing something important and being useful to others.Patterns
    • a satisfying/​rewarding/​gratifying/​fulfilling experience/​feeling
    • (a) satisfying/​rewarding/​fulfilling job/​career/​work
    • to find something satisfying/​rewarding/​pleasing/​gratifying
    Extra Examples
    • The job I'm doing at the moment is not very fulfilling.
    • All in all, it's been an extremely fulfilling career.
    Topics Successc1
    Oxford Collocations DictionaryFulfilling is used with these nouns:
    • life
    See full entry
See fulfilling in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
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trait
noun
 
 
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