Synonyms of gratuitous

gratuitous

adjective

grə-ˈtü-ə-təs 

1

as in free

not costing or charging anything

A local veterinary technician provides gratuitous services to the animal shelter twice a month.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• free
• optional
• complimentary
• costless
• gratis
• voluntary
• nominal
• on the house
• discretionary
• bestowed
• donated
• given
• uncompensated
• unpaid
• honorary
• pro bono
• freewill

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• expensive
• high
• costly
• paid
• dear

2

as in unnecessary

not needed by the circumstances or to accomplish an end

that violent scene was completely gratuitous and didn't need to be in the movie at all

Synonyms & Similar Words

• unnecessary
• extra
• needless
• optional
• unwarranted
• dispensable
• nonessential
• unessential
• irrelevant
• inessential
• redundant
• discretionary
• uncalled-for
• superfluous
• elective
• extraneous
• irrelative

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• necessary
• essential
• required
• important
• needed
• crucial
• vital
• needful
• indispensable
• urgent
• imperative
• all-important
• pressing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of gratuitous

Giger also left behind a far slimier legacy, one long criticized for its gratuitous victimization of women. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026

The gratuitous act obliterates both his self-image and his indecision, sparking not just a split with Irène but a total rupture with the social fabric of his present life. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 9 July 2026

Like any good Sheridan show, gratuitous violence and clichéd wisdom are doled out with abandon, the spoonful of sugar to help the medicine—in this case ranching gone awry—go down. — Alex Jhamb Burns, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2026

Buscarello advises against anything with gratuitous organizational features. — Alison Syrett Cleary, InStyle, 30 June 2026

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