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

thanklessly adverb

thanklessness noun

Synonyms

• unappreciative
• ungrateful

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

What likely made general manager Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott jump for Sanders at 41st overall was his desire for the often thankless work of stonewalling runners. —Tim Graham, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025

Munir may be vaccinating chickens rather than grabbing them on their way to slaughter, but the work is just as thankless and cruel. —Bartolomeo Sala, The Dial, 27 Mar. 2025

Offensive linemen have the most thankless job in the NFL. —Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024

Some issues have yet to be resolved — like whether Noah Wyle’s Dr. Robby has the mental capacity to continue his thankless job as the attending physician, if Patrick Ball’s Langdon deserves to keep his job and whether Katherine LaNasa’s Dana has worked her last day as the unofficial den mother. —Lynette Rice, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids 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