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
Being a backup goalkeeper is a difficult and generally thankless job.
—
Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 11 June 2025
His ex-wife, Amber-Linn (Judy Greer, queen of the thankless wife and mother roles), is trying to sell their house, after giving Pryce two years to move out.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 June 2025
And then came Mohajir — talented, experienced, ambitious — but immediately saddled with the thankless gig of replacing White.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 May 2025
As the engagement proceeds at dizzyingly rapid speed, Etheldreda discovers a sordid secret within the royal family, leaving her to choose between the security she's yearned for and the well-being of her thankless stepdaughter.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for thankless
Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 11 June 2025
His ex-wife, Amber-Linn (Judy Greer, queen of the thankless wife and mother roles), is trying to sell their house, after giving Pryce two years to move out.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 June 2025
And then came Mohajir — talented, experienced, ambitious — but immediately saddled with the thankless gig of replacing White.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 May 2025
As the engagement proceeds at dizzyingly rapid speed, Etheldreda discovers a sordid secret within the royal family, leaving her to choose between the security she's yearned for and the well-being of her thankless stepdaughter.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for thankless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thankless
Adjective
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Behind the screens are two apartment buildings, undoubtedly ungrateful to such loud and bright entertainment provided free of charge.—
Joe Joyce,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wasn’t going to risk being accused of being ungrateful this time.—
Brian Melley,
Fortune,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This makes recognition easier for them while ensuring your contributions don't go unnoticed.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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Among them, unfortunately, are a number of questionable and distracting Mancunian accents from a cast which is, er, mostly not from Manchester—intonations that will likely go unnoticed by American ears, but may be unbearable to some British ones.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In interviews, Candy, who struggled with his weight for much of his life, had to deal with the press making rude comments about his size.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
4 Sep. 2025
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This question becomes thornier once Dorotea visits Rocca in prison, finding her rude and abrasive though not irrational.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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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
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De Ligt — who turned 26 before the new Premier League season — is good at doing the dirty parts that can go unappreciated.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
21 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 11 Sep. 2025.
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