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
as in unnoticed
not likely to be appreciated by those who benefit
the thankless job of cleaning up after a party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thankless
Adjective
-
The summit of top U.S. and Ukrainian envoys in Jeddah this week follows Zelensky’s explosive visit to the White House on Feb. 28, when Trump and Vice President Vance called the war-time leader ungrateful and unwilling to move toward a ceasefire.—
Colin Meyn,
The Hill,
10 Mar. 2025
-
In the February 28 meeting, Trump and Vance criticized Zelensky, accusing him of being ungrateful for U.S. aid.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The widespread fan interest in the new league has not gone unnoticed by its owners, who have not been slow to act on their expansion plans.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
-
This means that moments of forgetfulness, conflict or emotional distance tend to stick, while daily acts of kindness, support and affection often go unnoticed.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The move garnered mixed reactions, with many calling out Brown for his rude tone and choice of words.—
Jessica Bennett,
VIBE.com,
18 Mar. 2025
-
Shift The Focus To Collaboration Sometimes, rude colleagues act out of insecurity or stress.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
But this remarkable statistic highlights a reality which often goes unappreciated among consumers; real estate brokerage is an extremely challenging career choice, requiring a 24/7 time commitment and an extensive array of skills.—
Frederick Peters,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
-
The fearsome cartel leader Emilia (Karla Sofía Gascón) enlists Rita (Zoe Saldaña), an unappreciated lawyer stuck in a dead-end job, to help fake her death so that Emilia can finally live authentically as her true self.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
3 Mar. 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
Cite this Entry
“Thankless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thankless. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share