thankless

adjective

thank·​less ˈthaŋk-ləs 

1

: not likely to obtain thanks : unappreciated

a thankless task

2

: not expressing or feeling gratitude : ungrateful

How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!

—William Shakespeare

thanklessly adverb

thanklessness noun

Synonyms of thankless

• ungrateful
• rude
• unappreciative

Examples of thankless in a Sentence

a thankless boss who seems oblivious to the extra effort his subordinates have made

the thankless job of cleaning up after a party

Recent Examples on the Web

To Mona, this thankless part is the opportunity of a lifetime. — Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026

Getting a handle on Barcelona’s finances in recent years has been akin to catching water, a thankless and broadly bemusing task. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Mattfeld is excellent in what could easily have been a thankless role, playing Ricky with the mien of someone who is always holding it together, years of disappointment and condescension and expectation keeping her eyes worried and jaw tight. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026

Violence diminishes its victims, forcing everyone to play a single thankless role. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

thankless

adjective

thank·​less ˈthaŋ-kləs 

1

: not appreciated by others

a thankless job

2

: not showing or feeling gratitude

thanklessly adverb

thanklessness noun