Satisfied With vs. Satisfied That
Satisfied With vs. Satisfied That distinguishes Cambridge’s “pleased with” construction from its clause-taking “believing something is true” construction.
Use satisfied with for being pleased with an arrangement, result, or thing; use satisfied that before a clause when you believe something is true.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| pleased or content with a thing, result, arrangement, or situation | satisfied with + noun/pronoun | Use “with” for the object of satisfaction in the pleased/content sense. |
| convinced or believing that a proposition is true | satisfied that + clause | Use “that” to introduce the proposition you accept as true. |
| choose only by the word immediately after “satisfied” | choose by meaning and complement type | The patterns reflect different senses as well as different complements. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Are you expressing that you are convinced a proposition is true?
If yes: Use “satisfied that” plus a clause.
If no: If you mean pleased/content with a thing or result, use “satisfied with.”
Caveat: Choose by the intended sense: pleased/content with something versus convinced that a proposition is true.
Examples
We are satisfied with the final design.
“With” introduces the thing or result the speaker is pleased with.
The inspector was satisfied that the door was secure.
“That” introduces the proposition the inspector accepted as true.
She is satisfied with the arrangement.
The sentence expresses contentment with an arrangement.
Further guidance
Core difference
Cambridge separates satisfied with in the pleased/content sense from satisfied that in the convinced-or-believing sense.
Style Boundary
Choose by meaning and complement type; the two patterns are not interchangeable merely because both use the adjective satisfied.
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.
- Satisfied (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct learner-dictionary evidence for satisfied with and satisfied that constructions.