thankless
adjective
thank·less
ˈthaŋk-ləs 
1
: not likely to obtain thanks : unappreciated
a thankless task
2
: not expressing or feeling gratitude : ungrateful
how sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
thanklessly
adverb
thanklessness
noun
Examples of thankless in a Sentence
a thankless boss who seems oblivious to the extra effort his subordinates have made
the thankless job of cleaning up after a party
Recent Examples on the Web
Certainly, trying to recreate the smart-alecky charisma of Michael J. Fox and the genius eccentricity of Christopher Lloyd is a thankless task.
—Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025
Being a leader is tough and thankless, and most leaders are exhausted.
—Jack McCullough, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
As Joey Locke, the overworked window washer frustrated with her thankless job in a corporate building, Ridley deploys the same glower for every challenge her character faces.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
Huemer has lived in both worlds—the smoky salons of 1980s New York, where ideas swirled like cigarette smoke, and the industrial trenches, where change is brutal, slow, and often thankless.
—Kody Boye, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thankless
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025
Being a leader is tough and thankless, and most leaders are exhausted.
—Jack McCullough, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
As Joey Locke, the overworked window washer frustrated with her thankless job in a corporate building, Ridley deploys the same glower for every challenge her character faces.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
Huemer has lived in both worlds—the smoky salons of 1980s New York, where ideas swirled like cigarette smoke, and the industrial trenches, where change is brutal, slow, and often thankless.
—Kody Boye, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thankless
Cite this Entry
“Thankless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thankless. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thankless
adjective
thank·less
ˈthaŋ-kləs
1
: not appreciated by others
a thankless job
2
: not showing or feeling gratitude
thanklessly
adverb
thanklessness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share