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

• ungrateful
• rude
• unappreciative

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

Others might tell you that hosting an awards show is a thankless gig, but Bargatze doesn’t seem fussed. —Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025

The forums held in progressive-leaning cities within Republican districts were thankless. —Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025

One running theme: Serving on a board is a grueling, thankless job, and also, serving on a board is a gateway to megalomania, corruption, and petty infighting. —Curbed Editors, Curbed, 19 Aug. 2025

Whitaker, meanwhile, has a thankless role as an empath whose narrative function flips between making improbable, almost psychic pronouncements, and stating the painfully obvious. —Richard Edwards, Space.com, 7 July 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