grateful

adjective grate·ful \ ˈgrāt-fəl \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Examples: grateful in a Sentence

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

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gratefully

play \ˈgrāt-fə-lē\ adverb

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gratefulness

noun

See grateful defined for English-language learners

See grateful defined for kids

Examples of grateful in a Sentence

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
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
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
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
The college sent us a grateful acknowledgment of our donation.
I'm grateful to you for your help.
He's grateful for the attention.

Recent Examples of grateful from the Web

Greg was especially grateful for the lifelong friendship of his cousin Carolyn Brovero.

— hartford courant, courant.com, "M. Gregory Godbout," 8 June 2018
Martin said that Kato looked grateful to see his rescuers — just like most human patients do when the fire department arrives to help.

— joel shannon, USA TODAY, "Fire department rescues a big, fluffy dog who got tired on a hike and just couldn't go on," 7 June 2018
Though not everyone who loves Belle Isle feels grateful.

— shawn windsor, Detroit Free Press, "Roger Penske doesn't want a fight, he just wants the Detroit Grand Prix to stay," 3 June 2018
Johnson is grateful that Kardashian is attempting to help her case.

— amy mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Who is Alice Marie Johnson? Kim Kardashian Visited the White House to Discuss Her Case," 31 May 2018
Remember that, if only for a moment Monday, as our grateful nation observes another Memorial Day.

— editorial from the aegis, The Aegis, "A day for remembering [Editoral]," 27 May 2018
Wang is grateful and buoyed by the support of so many.

— kitty leshay, Courant Community, "A Girl With Many Good Friends," 8 May 2018
Anyone who purports to loving literature should be grateful that books, like all art, elicit new and distinct responses in its audiences and that taste is not monolithic.

— dana schwartz, EW.com, "GQ suggests people not read Catch-22, Catcher in the Rye, more — and it's totally fine," 20 Apr. 2018
Part of me wants the simple certainties and mysteries of the past; part of me is profoundly grateful that the world has indelibly changed.

— andrew sullivan, Daily Intelligencer, "Pope Francis Isn’t Catholicism’s Trump," 20 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'grateful.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of grateful

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1552

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

grateful Synonyms

GRATEFUL Defined for English Language Learners

grateful

adjective

Definition of grateful for English Language Learners

: feeling or showing thanks : feeling or showing thanks to someone for some helpful act

GRATEFUL Defined for Kids

grateful

adjective grate·ful \ ˈgrāt-fəl \

Definition of grateful for Students

1 : feeling or showing thanks

I'm grateful for your help.

2 : providing pleasure or comfort

… the blended scents of tea and coffee were so grateful to the nose …
—Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

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gratefully

\-fə-lē\ adverb

Word Root of grateful

The Latin word gratus, meaning “pleasing” or “thankful,” gives us the root grat. Words from the Latin gratus have something to do with being pleasing or being thankful. To ingratiate yourself is to make others feel thankful for something you've done. To feel grateful is to feel thankful for something. Gratitude is a feeling of thankfulness. To congratulate is to express how pleasing someone's success is.