1
as in ungrateful
not showing gratitude
a thankless boss who seems oblivious to the extra effort his subordinates have made
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unnoticed
not likely to be appreciated by those who benefit
the thankless job of cleaning up after a party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of thankless
Others might tell you that hosting an awards show is a thankless gig, but Bargatze doesn’t seem fussed.
—
Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025
The forums held in progressive-leaning cities within Republican districts were thankless.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Teaching is a tough, important, and often thankless job.
—Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 25 Aug. 2025
One running theme: Serving on a board is a grueling, thankless job, and also, serving on a board is a gateway to megalomania, corruption, and petty infighting.
—Curbed Editors, Curbed, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thankless
Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025
The forums held in progressive-leaning cities within Republican districts were thankless.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Teaching is a tough, important, and often thankless job.
—Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 25 Aug. 2025
One running theme: Serving on a board is a grueling, thankless job, and also, serving on a board is a gateway to megalomania, corruption, and petty infighting.
—Curbed Editors, Curbed, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thankless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thankless
Adjective
-
For many attorneys, the grind of endless deadlines, paperwork, and ungrateful clients can lead to heavy disappointment.—
Kaitlyn Gomez,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Anything else feels ungrateful.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Almost 90 percent of the world’s population is right-handed, a fact that goes unnoticed in most settings but makes a difference in baseball.—
Chad Jennings,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
-
The unnamed child slips by unnoticed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Your neighbors may even call you rude.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Crowd in New York has been bordered on rude; embarrassing!—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Driving trucks is one of the unappreciated backbones of modern civilization.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Not Recognizing Contributions Not recognizing employees leaves them feeling invisible and unappreciated, which can lead to low morale.—
Elizabeth Semion,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Apparently, the jabs and insults from his unappreciative guest kept coming.—
Gil Macias,
People.com,
3 Jan. 2025
-
Complaining about the food, comparing it to other meals, or ignoring efforts made by the host also comes across as disrespectful and unappreciative.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
28 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Thankless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thankless. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share