1
as in ungrateful
not showing gratitude a thankless boss who seems oblivious to the extra effort his subordinates have made

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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 From the perspective of Nick Woltemade, their record signing, there was also another riposte to the hubbub that has surrounded his move to St James’ Park as a replacement for Alexander Isak, a task that ranks as thankless. George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 The blocking can be a thankless job, so no divas need apply. Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 25 Sep. 2025 As a discipline, advertising is beset by all sorts of weird internal contradictions, although that’s probably to be expected, given the thankless job commercials are tasked with carrying out. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for thankless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thankless
Adjective
  • The Live With Kelly and Mark talk show hostess seemingly hasn't known peace on the scariest day of the year for quite some time, but not because of ghosts and ghoulies plaguing her — but, rather, ungrateful neighbors who consistently complain about her Halloween candy.
    Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Faking emotionality, the political comic spent the majority of his first segment cracking sarcastic jokes about how ungrateful the American populace is toward the GOP leader.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But Meredith’s not laughing, and the back-and-forth escalates enough for Captain Jason, who was meant to join the women for dessert, to slip away from the table unnoticed.
    Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Many victims only realize something is wrong after small, unnoticed transactions slowly drain their accounts.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • People who are rude or unaware with receptionists can poison your culture, create unnecessary hierarchies, and drive your best people to leave.
    Jessica Neal, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
  • In a post on the AITA subreddit, the original poster (OP) explained that her sister, 34, who's always rude to her, has a 6-year-old son.
    Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Marianne Jean-Baptiste stars as an unappreciated bank teller who buys the flowing red frock at a department store, only to have her life go from bad to worse.
    Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Something approaching ecological grief now surfaced in his work, a sense that Big Sky Country’s outdoor life—and with it, the folkways of people who beat the sun to rising and who know how to shoe a horse and gut and pack out an elk—was becoming gradually impossible, or at least unappreciated.
    Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Thankless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thankless. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

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