1
as in free
not costing or charging anything
A local veterinary technician provides gratuitous services to the animal shelter twice a month.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gratuitous
Pop Step is fantastic and has a great personality, but she's introduced with gratuitous shots of her rear, and her body is talked about far too much even in the first episode.
—
John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Unlike Grey’s, though, The Pitt doesn’t treat us to gratuitous shots of Dr. Robby answering doors shirtless or hooking up with interns.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2025
Both of these aspects set the tone for the raw carnage that would be reproduced in Doom Eternal (2020), a solid sequel that doubled down on the gratuitous bloodletting and amped up the industrial sound of the Doom (2016) OST to a new level.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
Goosed by a couple gratuitous interludes of gory amateur surgery, the movie is eventful, with a high body count.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gratuitous
John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Unlike Grey’s, though, The Pitt doesn’t treat us to gratuitous shots of Dr. Robby answering doors shirtless or hooking up with interns.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2025
Both of these aspects set the tone for the raw carnage that would be reproduced in Doom Eternal (2020), a solid sequel that doubled down on the gratuitous bloodletting and amped up the industrial sound of the Doom (2016) OST to a new level.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
Goosed by a couple gratuitous interludes of gory amateur surgery, the movie is eventful, with a high body count.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gratuitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gratuitous
Adjective
-
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Rachel Flynn,
People.com,
27 May 2025
-
Sign up here to receive The Athletic’s free daily NFL newsletter in your inbox.—
Jacob Robinson,
New York Times,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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Patrick Boel, managing director at real estate developer Roundhouse, said most of the land the company owns is in areas where the new zoning code already provides for high-density housing, large heights and no parking requirements, making any incentives unnecessary.—
Carolyn Komatsoulis,
Idaho Statesman,
26 May 2025
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Routing software then optimizes waste collection schedules, reducing unnecessary trips and lowering fuel consumption.—
Hemanth Volikatla,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
Inside the cozy cockpit, leather, burl wood, and side curtains with sliding plastic windows take the driver back many decades to a time when radios were an optional nuisance—all that mattered was the vehicle and the road.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
30 May 2025
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Place the basil leaves (and optional lemon zest) into a clean glass jar.—
Claudia Alarcón,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Amidst the lavish suites and outdoor pools, visitors can immerse themselves in vast swathes of tropical rainforest biome, with complimentary bicycles available to aid in exploration.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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The 74 rooms and suites are decorated with lacquered ebony or walnut and are equipped with steam showers, bathtubs, and complimentary minibars.—
Erica Firpo,
AFAR Media,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gratuitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gratuitous. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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