thankless

adjective

ˈthaŋk-ləs How to pronounce thankless (audio)
Definition of thanklessnext
1
as in ungrateful
not showing gratitude a thankless boss who seems oblivious to the extra effort his subordinates have made

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 Embarking upon a career with Cherry Creek Schools that can often be thankless but means a whole lot to them. — Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 8 Aug. 2026 Trying to do Elvira is setting yourself up for a thankless challenge. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 24 July 2026 These conflicts raged on through the pandemic, when the country was generally going insane, and in 2022, when President Joe Biden exercised his right to appoint a new chair, Rios took what was in effect a thankless cleanup job. — Christopher Hooks, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 The novel examines the intricate and thankless task of living with remarkable control. — Literary Hub, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for thankless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thankless
  1. ungrateful
  2. unnoticed
  3. rude
  4. unappreciated
  5. unappreciative
Adjective
  • In Seasons 1-4, that vicar is Sidney Chambers (James Norton), a jazz enthusiast plagued by memories of WWII who offers unsolicited insights to gruff and initially ungrateful Det.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
  • That suggests that my miss tends to be ungrateful.
    — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Definition of ungrateful
Adjective
  • Canada’s offense was mentioned, but her presence defensively couldn’t go unnoticed.
    — Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Certainly, the way Curtis cares for comics hasn’t gone unnoticed, either among the artists or many of those working behind the scenes.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of unnoticed
Adjective
  • Painfully aware of this, Shawn waited for one of the drunk old men to comment, heckle, make one of those incomprehensible jokes that drew rude laughter from adults.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • By the same token, French-style discretion can be interpreted by American visitors as inattentive and rude.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of rude
Adjective
  • Fitoussi, who also made a film championing the background players with The Extras, creates a witty and actually poignant look at the profession where real talent so often goes unrecognized and unappreciated.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The former eventually achieved cult classic status thanks to home video while the latter still feels terminally unappreciated.
    — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of unappreciated
Adjective
  • Campbell can actually be spotted in a photo at the beginning of the teaser trailer for Send Help (embedded below), as an unappreciative Bradley throws the picture of his parents (the father is Campbell) in a trash can.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Apparently, the jabs and insults from his unappreciative guest kept coming.
    — Gil Macias, People.com, 3 Jan. 2025
Definition of unappreciative

Browse Nearby Words

thanking
thankless
thanklessness
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Cite this Entry

“Thankless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thankless. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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