sated
C2 / RareFormal / Literary
Definition
Meaning
completely satisfied or full, typically to the point where no more is desired.
Can extend beyond physical consumption to mean fully gratified, surfeited, or wearied by excess of something, often pleasure, information, or experience.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used as an adjective describing a state. Often carries a nuance of having had enough to the point of weariness or even slight revulsion. It implies a previous action of satisfying a desire or appetite.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Slightly more literary in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare in both BrE and AmE; perhaps marginally more common in written, descriptive prose.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] be/become/feel sated.[Subject] be/become/feel sated with [noun].[Subject] be/become/feel sated by [gerund/noun].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “sated to the brim”
- “a sated palate”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used. Could appear metaphorically: 'The market is sated with similar products.'
Academic
Used in literary criticism, sociology, or history to describe cultural or sensory surfeit.
Everyday
Uncommon. Might be used for emphasis after a large meal.
Technical
Not applicable in technical contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He sated his thirst with a pint of ale.
- The documentary sated her curiosity about the royal family.
American English
- She sated her hunger with a huge burger.
- The victory sated the team's desire for revenge.
adjective
British English
- After the seven-course meal, we were utterly sated.
- He felt sated with the endless stream of bad news.
American English
- The audience was sated by the spectacular finale.
- Sated on sunshine and fun, they reluctantly headed home.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- After the big dinner, I was completely sated.
- The children, sated with cake and sweets, finally grew quiet.
- He read book after book, sating his thirst for knowledge.
- The critic, sated by a lifetime of reviewing mediocre films, found the masterpiece genuinely moving.
- A populace sated with consumer goods may still feel a profound spiritual emptiness.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of being SATisfiED after a huge meal, but the 'ti' is dropped - you're so full you can't even finish the word.
Conceptual Metaphor
DESIRE IS HUNGER / SATISFACTION IS FULLNESS
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'sated' meaning 'to sit' (сидеть).
- Closer in meaning to 'пресыщенный' or 'насытившийся'.
- Avoid a simplistic one-word translation; consider context of excess.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'I sated my hunger' is correct for the verb 'sate'; 'I felt sated' is correct for the adjective).
- Confusing with 'sated' (adjective) and 'sated' (past tense of verb 'sate').
- Overusing in casual conversation where 'full' or 'satisfied' suffices.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'sated' INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is stronger and more formal. 'Full' often refers just to the stomach, while 'sated' implies a complete satisfaction of a desire or appetite, sometimes to excess.
Yes. It is commonly used for abstract appetites like curiosity, desire for revenge, or thirst for knowledge (e.g., 'sated her curiosity').
They are very close synonyms and often interchangeable. 'Satiated' is slightly more formal and clinical; 'sated' has a more literary feel and can imply a slight weariness from the excess.
The verb is 'to sate' (past tense: 'sated'). It means to satisfy fully or to excess.
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