immediate gratification
3
5.5
- noun
- /ɪˈmiːdiət ˌɡrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
:
gratificación inmediata
- In today's fast-paced world, immediate gratification has become the norm for most people.
- delay immediate gratification
However, you also know that society has conditioned us to expect immediate gratification and results now.
- However, you also know that society has conditioned us to expect immediate gratification and results now.
- But if you can deal with boredom, you understand that greater things will happen if you postpone your need for immediate gratification, right?
Examples
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Often, money can offer immediate gratification but fails to ensure long-term sustainability.
Blog text (26) -
In a world characterized by instant culture and immediate gratification, the values of the humanities are deemed irrelevant by many.
Academic text (2016) -
My children have no understanding of this, growing up in the era of ever more immediate gratification.
Blog text (25) -
This is pushing out a consensus that we need some type of immediate gratification in our lives.
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However, you also know that society has conditioned us to expect immediate gratification and results now.
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After all, we live in a quick, immediate gratification, fast-food world.
Blog text (3) -
When we pursue vision, we often set aside immediate gratification for the sake of some future rewards.
Academic text (2010) -
Our electoral and economic systems reinforce choices that yield immediate gratification, even at the cost of long-term disaster.
Academic text (1991) -
Many people struggle with immediate gratification, choosing quick rewards over long-term goals.
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Instant messaging and social media often cater to our desire for immediate gratification.
How Immediate
3
5.5
- Neologism
- Informal
10
8.3
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'immediate' (without delay) modifies 'gratification' (pleasure/satisfaction), yielding a clear phrase meaning satisfaction without waiting. This adjective+noun combination follows a common, cross-linguistic pattern, so a learner who knows both constituent words will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Immediate gratification brings to mind the simple image of pressing a button and getting a candy right away; immediate is 'right away' and gratification is 'pleasure' or 'reward', so the phrase means wanting or enjoying a reward without waiting.