Be Gratified To Do vs. Gratified At Something
Be Gratified To Do vs. Gratified At Something distinguishes two directly documented complement patterns for the adjective “gratified.” Use gratified + to-infinitive for the directly documented infinitival construction; use gratified at + noun phrase for the separately documented prepositional construction. The guide stays within those attested patterns and does not infer a broader rule from synonymy.
Use gratified + to-infinitive for the directly documented infinitival construction; use gratified at + noun phrase for the separately documented prepositional construction.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| satisfaction linked to an event/action expressed with an infinitive | gratified + to-infinitive | use the documented infinitive construction |
| satisfaction directed toward a result, response, or circumstance | gratified at + noun phrase | use the documented prepositional construction |
Quick tests
Event-or-object test
Are you presenting the gratifying event as an action, or naming the result/circumstance that produces the feeling?
If yes: Use “gratified to + verb” for the event/action.
If no: Use “gratified at + noun phrase” for the object or circumstance.
Caveat: Stay within the reviewed constructions rather than extending the pattern from a synonym.
Examples
We were gratified to see a clear improvement.
The infinitive presents the event that prompted the reaction.
She was gratified at the response.
“At” names the object or circumstance producing the feeling.
They were gratified to learn that the issue had been resolved.
The infinitive introduces the learned event.
Further guidance
Core difference
Use gratified + to-infinitive for the directly documented infinitival construction; use gratified at + noun phrase for the separately documented prepositional construction.
Style Boundary
Treat this as a comparison of directly documented complement patterns, not as a claim that every other complement is impossible. Choose the construction that matches the intended grammatical relationship.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- gratified — Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Oxford University Press · Direct dictionary evidence for gratified + to-infinitive and gratified at + complement