Synonyms of thankless

thankless

adjective

ˈthaŋk-ləs 

1

as in ungrateful

not showing gratitude

a thankless boss who seems oblivious to the extra effort his subordinates have made

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ungrateful
• rude
• unappreciative
• thoughtless
• ungracious

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• grateful
• thankful
• indebted
• appreciative
• courteous
• beholden
• obliged
• thoughtful
• pleased
• gracious
• gratified

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

• unnoticed
• unappreciated
• ungrateful
• unrewarded
• unsung
• unrecognized
• underappreciated
• uncredited
• underrated
• undervalued
• unvalued

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• appreciated
• credited
• honored
• valued
• esteemed
• prized
• recognized
• meritorious
• praiseworthy
• regarded
• rewarded
• creditable

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of thankless

This kind of audit is slow and thankless. — Omer Qureshi, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

Young men who served in Vietnam, whether voluntarily or through the draft, were in a thankless spot. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 24 May 2026

Another thankless gig leads Ben to Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li), a nightclub singer with ties to Brendan Gleeson‘s Silvermane, a vicious mobster engaged in an increasingly heated conflict with the city’s mayor (Michael Kostroff). — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026

Her performance is uncanny, though the conception and function of the character — a mentally ill innocent who mostly sets other performers and society into relief — is thankless and the film’s weakest link. — Vadim Rizov, IndieWire, 16 May 2026