grateful

grate·ful

adj \ˈgrāt-fəl\

Definition of GRATEFUL

1

a : appreciative of benefits received b : expressing gratitude <grateful thanks>

2

a : affording pleasure or contentment : pleasing b : pleasing by reason of comfort supplied or discomfort alleviated

— grate·ful·ly \-fə-lē\ adverb

— grate·ful·ness noun

Examples of GRATEFUL

1. The college sent us a grateful acknowledgment of our donation.
2. I'm grateful to you for your help.
3. He's grateful for the attention.
4. The voice quacking at the other end of the line sounded surprised and grateful—a young man's eager voice, thankful for the sudden interruption on an otherwise empty afternoon. —Paul Theroux, Granta, Summer 1992
5. I didn't have to be in love with the man to do this, and my poor body'd probably be grateful to get fed, since it'd been on such a starvation diet. —Terry McMillan, Waiting to Exhale, 1992
6. Sergeant James Smith was a company clerk, which meant that he carried his commander's maps, Edwards was grateful to learn. —Tom Clancy, Red Storm Rising, 1986
7. I am grateful for the Latin I took and for the emphasis on English grammar, which seems to have faded from the curriculum. —John Updike, Hugging the Shore, (1983) 1984

Origin of GRATEFUL

obsolete grate pleasing, thankful, from Latin gratus — more at grace

First Known Use: 1552

Related to GRATEFUL

Synonyms: appreciative, appreciatory, glad, obliged, thankful

Antonyms: inappreciative, thankless, unappreciative, ungrateful

Related Words: beholden, indebted; contented, delighted, gratified, pleased, satisfied, tickled; thanking

Near Antonyms: inhospitable, rude, thoughtless, ungracious

see all synonyms and antonyms

[+]more[-]hide

Rhymes with GRATEFUL

fateful, hateful