please
1 of 2verb
ˈplēz 
pleased; pleasing
intransitive verb
1
: to afford or give pleasure or satisfaction
2
: like, wish
do as you please
3
archaic : to have the kindness
will you please to enter the carriage
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickenstransitive verb
1
: to give pleasure to : gratify
2
: to be the will or pleasure of
may it please Your Majesty
please
2 of 2adverb
1
—used as a function word to express politeness or emphasis in a request
please come in
2
—used as a function word to express polite affirmation
like some tea? Please
3
—used as a function word to express scornful disagreement, disapproval, or disbelief
you believe that? Oh, please
Synonyms
Verb
- agree (with)
- content
- delight
- feast
- gas [slang]
- glad [archaic]
- gladden
- gratify
- pleasure
- rejoice
- satisfy
- suit
- warm
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb He joined the football team to please his father. Her parents were pleased by her decision. It pleases me to know that you liked the gift. They're very hard to please.
Recent Examples on the Web Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2022 As a South Asian woman, you’re expected to please everyone, look after everyone, nurture and feed, do everything for everyone and never look after yourself. Akanksha Kamath, Vogue, 22 Aug. 2022 Trying to please other people isn't likely to go well at the moment. Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2022 Too many leaders are being so indecisive on the subject trying to please everyone. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 11 July 2022 To shake off what’s fake, stop trying to please other people in the negative sense, but learn from experience, pick up positive things, lose some negative things. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 20 June 2022 It’s Paul who rallies her by reminding her that her responsibility isn’t to please everyone. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2022 Thus, any map that House and Senate Democrats favor will have to please House Republicans enough that their three redistricting committee members won’t tank it. oregonlive, 3 Sep. 2021 Can't please everyone: Biden still faces pressure from progressives to cancel an even larger share of debt. Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2022 Christopher Borrelli, chicagotribune.com, 23 Dec. 2021 See More
Verb
Easy to adjust to please everyone at your table, this recipe uses homemade cashew cream to make an extra silky sauce. Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2022 As a South Asian woman, you’re expected to please everyone, look after everyone, nurture and feed, do everything for everyone and never look after yourself. Akanksha Kamath, Vogue, 22 Aug. 2022 Trying to please other people isn't likely to go well at the moment. Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2022 Too many leaders are being so indecisive on the subject trying to please everyone. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 11 July 2022 To shake off what’s fake, stop trying to please other people in the negative sense, but learn from experience, pick up positive things, lose some negative things. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 20 June 2022 It’s Paul who rallies her by reminding her that her responsibility isn’t to please everyone. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2022 Thus, any map that House and Senate Democrats favor will have to please House Republicans enough that their three redistricting committee members won’t tank it. oregonlive, 3 Sep. 2021 Can't please everyone: Biden still faces pressure from progressives to cancel an even larger share of debt. Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2022 Adverb
Naturally, during the 113 years those bells have hung in Mitchell Tower, there have been Hyde Park residents asking if these (expletive) change ringers would please stop. Christopher Borrelli, chicagotribune.com, 23 Dec. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English plesen, from Anglo-French plaisir, pleisir, pleire, from Latin placēre; akin to Latin placare to placate and perhaps to Greek plak-, plax flat surface — more at fluke
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Adverb
1771, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing please
Kids Definition
please 1 of 2
verb
ˈplēz
pleased; pleasing
1
: to make happy or satisfied
The gift pleased him.
2
: to be willing : like, choose
You can come and go as you please.
please
2 of 2adverb
—used to show politeness or emphasis in requesting or accepting
May I please be excused?Attention, please!More milk? Yes, please.
pleases
verb
1
as in delights
to give satisfaction to fresh flowers please me greatly Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- delights
- satisfies
- warms
- amuses
- gratifies
- gladdens
- pleasures
- entertains
- feasts
- tickles
- suits
- rejoices
- appeases
- thrills
- contents
- soothes
- excites
- glads
- placates
- satiates
- titillates
- calms
- pacifies
- gases
- comforts
- captivates
- mollifies
- gasses
- agrees (with)
- quenches
- sates
- assuages
- charms
- galvanizes
- treats
- diverts
- indulges
- pampers
- humors
- spoils
- coddles
- mollycoddles
- caters (to)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- displeases
- bothers
- irritates
- annoys
- gets
- aggravates
- irks
- vexes
- crosses
- exasperates
- perturbs
- infuriates
- chafes
- angers
- piques
- enrages
- inflames
- provokes
- rankles
- bugs
- riles
- grates
- outrages
- ruffles
- disturbs
- galls
- rouses
- maddens
- incenses
- upsets
- roils
- distresses
- nettles
- puts out
- agitates
- offends
- harasses
- enflames
- frets
- pesters
- peeves
- harries
- insults
- steams up
- affronts
2
as in wishes
to see fit clearly, you are going to do as you please no matter what I advise Synonyms & Similar Words
- wishes
- wants
- chooses
- likes
- desires
- wills
- craves
- fancies
- covets
- resolves
- decides
- thirsts (for)
- lusts (for or after)
- hungers (for)
- determines
- longs (for)
- itches (for)
- hankers (for)
- sighs (for)
- yearns (for)
- pines (for)
- pants (after)
- dies (for)
- repines (for)
- aches (for)