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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
The episode’s strongest assets, a pair of performances from Oscar nominated star Andrea Riseborough and the thankless role-elevating Kiran Sonia Sawar, are enough to keep you watching to the end, but only barely.
30.
—Steve Greene, IndieWire, 12 Apr. 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
The episode’s strongest assets, a pair of performances from Oscar nominated star Andrea Riseborough and the thankless role-elevating Kiran Sonia Sawar, are enough to keep you watching to the end, but only barely.
30.
—Steve Greene, IndieWire, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thankless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thankless
Adjective
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The only thing spookier than a Friday the 13th murder spree or Aunt Gladys' roster of maniacal spells is, apparently, an ungrateful child, as Ripa has learned the hard way over the years.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Oct. 2025
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For many attorneys, the grind of endless deadlines, paperwork, and ungrateful clients can lead to heavy disappointment.—
Kaitlyn Gomez,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The committee’s campaigns and grassroots efforts have not gone unnoticed by the parent company.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
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The fact that Musk and his giant businesses stood to benefit from severe cuts to the regulatory state did not go unnoticed (Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Carter Glass–like critic, issued a report on the subject), but resistance had little effect.—
Evan Hughes,
The Atlantic,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
For three long weeks that began to seem rude or impertinent, as if the Prize hadn’t been announced, as if a king and queen weren’t waiting for his answer, Dylan said nothing about the award.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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According to Dakota, the sisters once had a tense encounter with a rude man that ended with the Complete Unknown star's drink all over him.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Driving trucks is one of the unappreciated backbones of modern civilization.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
6 Sep. 2025
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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
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Apparently, the jabs and insults from his unappreciative guest kept coming.—
Gil Macias,
People.com,
3 Jan. 2025
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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 28 Oct. 2025.
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