Definition of ungratefulnext
1
as in unnoticed
not likely to be appreciated by those who benefit the park's custodial staff has the ungrateful job of cleaning up after the Independence Day party is over

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2
as in rude
not showing gratitude although the food was being provided for free, the ungrateful recipients could not refrain from complaining that it was not to their liking

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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 ungrateful Unless these ungrateful, unassimilated America-haters commit certain crimes, we’re stuck with them. Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 24 Oct. 2025 For many attorneys, the grind of endless deadlines, paperwork, and ungrateful clients can lead to heavy disappointment. Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025 Anything else feels ungrateful. Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025 Faring even worse is Clara, thinly rendered as an ungrateful child and an obstacle for her mother. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 13 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ungrateful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ungrateful
Adjective
  • Ismailova’s Arslanbob reveals infrastructures that are sustained through internal, often unnoticed, material and mythological ecology.
    Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
  • That hasn’t gone unnoticed, and this past offseason one of the people most responsible for executing the club’s turnaround — former director of pitching Justin Willard — was hired away by the New York Mets to be their new major league pitching coach.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Perhaps surprisingly, the unfair pay and rude management didn’t trigger the most significant changes in attitude.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Whether a dish is tied to a long-standing family tradition, cultural heritage, or simply a treasured memory, etiquette experts say there’s nothing rude about choosing to keep certain recipes private.
    Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Like Kevin Brown, the burly Reuschel was largely unappreciated during his time.
    David Faris, TheWeek, 9 Feb. 2026
  • From the days of colonists and pirates to the more modern era (of, say, bankers and lawyers servicing offshore corporations), its touristic charms have gone largely unappreciated.
    John Bowe, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Most puzzling of all is the weird absence of any significant oomph; it’s simply watched from afar by Nelly (now Hong Chau), who is always being fired but never seems to leave, in by far the most thankless role in the movie.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The dullest focuses on Michael Peña and Zazie Beetz, who puncture the movie with some sharp line reads but are largely wasted in thankless roles as Mark and Janet, two teachers in a strained romantic relationship.
    Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 10 Feb. 2026
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
Adjective
  • Scenes meant to convey fondness and dramatic weight instead flatten into thoughtless repetition, as the series’ decades-long dissection of the final girl reveals itself as a stale brand asset.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Karlsson was on the wrong side of the puck all evening, made careless decisions and generally played a thoughtless game.
    Josh Yohe, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ungrateful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ungrateful. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

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