1
as in ungrateful
not showing gratitude a thankless boss who seems oblivious to the extra effort his subordinates have made

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of thankless The party has tapped freshman Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan to deliver the formal rebuttal, an often thankless task that can still elevate a junior politician’s profile. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2025 The Carnegie Museum of Art’s posthumous acquisition was, symbolically, a rewarding payoff for an often thankless job. Robert Alan Grand, ARTnews.com, 7 Feb. 2025 After the plan was finalized in 2016, Scofield faced the thankless task of balancing clean energy with a wide range of competing interests — not just conservation but also hiking, camping, off-roading, mining and more. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for thankless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thankless
Adjective
  • For several interminable minutes on the morning of Feb. 28, President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance had berated Zelensky, calling him ungrateful, weak and dangerous while talking over his attempts to argue back.
    Simon Shuster, TIME, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Many women hesitate to negotiate their salaries for fear of appearing ungrateful.
    Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But chronic stress — the kind that builds quietly from daily pressures such as financial worries or family concerns — is what slowly chips away at your health, often going unnoticed until symptoms become impossible to ignore.
    Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Additionally, engaging with Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) can offer critical insights that would otherwise go unnoticed.
    Ryan Anderson, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Be Courtesy To Other Shoppers To a Southerner, manners are top of mind, so pushing, shoving, and being rude over buying things doesn’t jive with a genteel way of life.
    Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The same employee, who Shea said was also rude to her, answered and told her the company was closed.
    PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Yet, underneath the grand gestures, there’s an emotional core: a promise to heal the wounds of past heartbreak and ensure his partner never feels unappreciated again.
    Michael Saponara, Billboard, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Even artistic geniuses like Vincent Van Gogh spent years painting works that went unappreciated and unsold in his lifetime.
    Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Apparently, the jabs and insults from his unappreciative guest kept coming.
    Gil Macias, People.com, 3 Jan. 2025
  • Complaining about the food, comparing it to other meals, or ignoring efforts made by the host also comes across as disrespectful and unappreciative.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thankless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thankless. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on thankless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!