1
as in free
not costing or charging anything
A local veterinary technician provides gratuitous services to the animal shelter twice a month.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unnecessary
not needed by the circumstances or to accomplish an end
that violent scene was completely gratuitous and didn't need to be in the movie at all
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gratuitous
And the gratuitous insults—to NATO allies, the European Union, the BRICs, the United Nations, or the World Health Organization—continue to flow from the president.
—
Margaret MacMillan, Foreign Affairs, 21 July 2025
When Jeanne inevitably breaks down at one point, the filmmaker doesn’t crowd Cottin with gratuitous closeups, but instead frames the scene from a respectful distance.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 15 July 2025
Buckley was heedless of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s profound concern over a military-industrial complex pushing the nation into gratuitous wars for ulterior motives, i.e., money and power.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2025
Earlier, Pegas told me his two biggest literary influences were Bret Easton Ellis and David Foster Wallace, and his story combines Ellis’ gratuitous violence with Wallace’s postmodern fixation with mass media.
—John McDermott, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for gratuitous
Margaret MacMillan, Foreign Affairs, 21 July 2025
When Jeanne inevitably breaks down at one point, the filmmaker doesn’t crowd Cottin with gratuitous closeups, but instead frames the scene from a respectful distance.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 15 July 2025
Buckley was heedless of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s profound concern over a military-industrial complex pushing the nation into gratuitous wars for ulterior motives, i.e., money and power.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2025
Earlier, Pegas told me his two biggest literary influences were Bret Easton Ellis and David Foster Wallace, and his story combines Ellis’ gratuitous violence with Wallace’s postmodern fixation with mass media.
—John McDermott, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for gratuitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gratuitous
Adjective
-
Crucially, during the launch period of the Pixel 9 Pro, Google offered a free 12-month subscription to Google AI Pro for those purchasing the handset.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
-
Dealers are replace the rear axle shaft assemblies in the affected vehicles for free.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Delete unnecessary apps from your phone - Most apps collect personal details such as your name, email and location, which could be hacked.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 Aug. 2025
-
Restructuring your team to bring him in now could cause unnecessary hits or weaken your squad balance.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Final Thoughts Adaptive leadership is not optional in today’s world.—
Jason Ballard,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Some of these technologies are essential for ensuring the proper functioning of the service or website and cannot be disabled, while others are optional but serve to enhance the user experience in various ways.—
Matthew Strauss,
Pitchfork,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Members can earn Omni Credits and enjoy perks, such as free Wi-Fi, a welcome drink, and a complimentary bottle of water upon arrival.—
Mae Hamilton,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Mains can be shared or guests can opt for two or three courses, all of which come with complimentary sides.—
Joanne Shurvell,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gratuitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gratuitous. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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