1
a
: appreciative of benefits received
b
: expressing gratitude
grateful thanks
2
b
: pleasing by reason of comfort supplied or discomfort alleviated
gratefulness
noun
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.
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 on the Web
Back in March, less than 24 hours after Trump and Vice President JD Vance attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an Oval Office meeting in which the veep accused the wartime leader of being insufficiently grateful for U.S. aid for its three-year battle against Russia.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 16 June 2025
Look for things to be grateful for to spark that inner joy.
—Erin Clements, People.com, 16 June 2025
Abby Wambach, Barnard College, 2018 The lesson: Failure is fuel and fuel is power
Like all little girls, I was taught to be grateful.
—Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 14 June 2025
Aside from the usual excitement of playing in a state semifinal game, senior infielder Ben Geary had another reason to be extra grateful to be taking the field Friday for St. Laurence.
—Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for grateful
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.
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 16 June 2025
Look for things to be grateful for to spark that inner joy.
—Erin Clements, People.com, 16 June 2025
Abby Wambach, Barnard College, 2018 The lesson: Failure is fuel and fuel is power
Like all little girls, I was taught to be grateful.
—Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 14 June 2025
Aside from the usual excitement of playing in a state semifinal game, senior infielder Ben Geary had another reason to be extra grateful to be taking the field Friday for St. Laurence.
—Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for grateful
Cite this Entry
“Grateful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grateful. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share