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
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
If vice president of operations Chip Conway, a tireless worker in a thankless job, books the wrong hotel he will likely be forced to run back to Denver.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
Other DNIs have been the object of both scorn and indifference in a thankless job.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2026
Willy laments to his stout and thankless wife, Linda (Laurie Metcalf, upholding her reputation as a Broadway MVP), that buyers on the road laugh at him — that one even called him a shrimp.
—Naveen Kumar, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thankless
Vadim Rizov, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
If vice president of operations Chip Conway, a tireless worker in a thankless job, books the wrong hotel he will likely be forced to run back to Denver.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
Other DNIs have been the object of both scorn and indifference in a thankless job.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2026
Willy laments to his stout and thankless wife, Linda (Laurie Metcalf, upholding her reputation as a Broadway MVP), that buyers on the road laugh at him — that one even called him a shrimp.
—Naveen Kumar, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thankless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thankless
Adjective
-
That suggests that my miss tends to be ungrateful.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
The president stomped on Cassidy's electoral grave, describing the senator as ungrateful for previous support.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
If a line item that small can briefly imperil the clearest climate record on Earth, how many comparable line items sit on comparable fault lines right now, unnoticed until the next budget cycle finds them?—
Ingmar Rentzhog,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
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Players need to observe their surroundings, picking up on behavioral patterns and the contextual opportunities around them to sneak around unnoticed and set up a Rube Goldberg-style series of events that ultimately end in death.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
There is a profound difference between rude political commentary and language that normalizes violence against other human beings.—
Naperville Sun,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
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In other words, leaving early isn't inherently rude.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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The Beltsville Bee Lab is a key part of the often-unappreciated federal research infrastructure that supports the health of pollinators and the nation’s food supply.—
Jennie L. Durant,
The Conversation,
26 May 2026
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An everlasting thank-you card fulfilling the wishes of any mom who may be feeling unappreciated, exhausted, or neglected?—
Erik Adams,
The Atlantic,
10 May 2026
Adjective
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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
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Apparently, the jabs and insults from his unappreciative guest kept coming.—
Gil Macias,
People.com,
3 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thankless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thankless. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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