1
a
: appreciative of benefits received : feeling or showing thanks
b
: expressing gratitude
a grateful smile
2
b
: pleasing by reason of comfort supplied or discomfort alleviated
… shy wild creatures are at home beneath the grateful lights and shadows of the woods, rejoicing in their fullness of perfect life!—
John Muir
John Muir
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
Chief Zeppuhar said the department is beyond grateful to the generous stranger.
—Mike Darnay, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
Feelings of gratitude shift our mood and mindset in a positive way, and there is always something to be grateful for each day.
—Letters To The Editor, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2025
Here, strict national park development rules preserve the landscape's raw beauty—and my goggle-laden eyes were grateful for it during my January 2025 visit.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 1 Dec. 2025
At first, the arrangement felt manageable and even pleasant, as the cousin helped with groceries, straightened up around the place, and seemed genuinely grateful.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grateful
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Mike Darnay, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
Feelings of gratitude shift our mood and mindset in a positive way, and there is always something to be grateful for each day.
—Letters To The Editor, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2025
Here, strict national park development rules preserve the landscape's raw beauty—and my goggle-laden eyes were grateful for it during my January 2025 visit.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 1 Dec. 2025
At first, the arrangement felt manageable and even pleasant, as the cousin helped with groceries, straightened up around the place, and seemed genuinely grateful.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 30 Nov. 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 5 Dec. 2025.
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