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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gratuitous
Thanks to a prescient investment in producing a promotional video for the CTR model, the world would become acquainted with Ruf through scenes of gratuitous smokey drifts on the Nurburgring, captured from a helicopter no less.
—
Christian Gilbertsen, Robb Report, 12 Aug. 2025
Some of these flourishes feel a touch gratuitous: milk is spilled; repeated Amelia Bedelia-esque references are made to Evie’s sister losing her marbles; and, of course, there’s the name—yes, this Eve bites into an apple.
—Lora Kelley, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2025
In the end, Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber had no choice but to suspend Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba for their next MLS match after neither failed to show up for the 2025 MLS All-Star Game, in accordance with a longstanding league rule meant to prevent gratuitous no-shows.
—Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for gratuitous
Christian Gilbertsen, Robb Report, 12 Aug. 2025
Some of these flourishes feel a touch gratuitous: milk is spilled; repeated Amelia Bedelia-esque references are made to Evie’s sister losing her marbles; and, of course, there’s the name—yes, this Eve bites into an apple.
—Lora Kelley, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2025
In the end, Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber had no choice but to suspend Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba for their next MLS match after neither failed to show up for the 2025 MLS All-Star Game, in accordance with a longstanding league rule meant to prevent gratuitous no-shows.
—Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for gratuitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gratuitous
Adjective
-
The container itself is made of BPA-free, food-grade plastic.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The six-week academy, free to town residents, gives an inside look at various town departments.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Cut off the unnecessary branches — and clean up the tree.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Once inside cells, the nanoparticles break down, releasing lithium in effective doses without exposing the rest of the body to unnecessary risk.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The cost per night, including taxes and additional fees (cleaning fees are often extra—and not optional), can quickly add up.—
Karla Walsh,
Southern Living,
15 Oct. 2025
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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.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Members have been offered complimentary access to credit and identity monitoring over the next 12 months.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
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Per Welter, North Carolina sent out a message to players on Tuesday reminding players not to sell or exchange complimentary tickets for any item of value.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gratuitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gratuitous. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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