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

From trad wives to spin classes to caregiving, Smithuijsen reveals how late stage capitalism strips women of agency and traps them in endless cycles of empty consumption and thankless labor. —Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026

For the thankless task of straight man, Reiner won two Emmys. —Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 29 Dec. 2025

The comedian joked that the middle phase of life is largely thankless. —Alex Shoemaker, Parents, 15 Dec. 2025

Working in restaurants is physically, mentally and emotionally taxing and often thankless work. —Jonathan Deutsch, The Conversation, 5 Dec. 2025

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