THANKLESS Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

thankless

adjective

ˈthaŋk-ləs

Definition of thankless

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

as in unnoticed

not likely to be appreciated by those who benefit the thankless job of cleaning up after a party

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Mattfeld is excellent in what could easily have been a thankless role, playing Ricky with the mien of someone who is always holding it together, years of disappointment and condescension and expectation keeping her eyes worried and jaw tight. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026 Violence diminishes its victims, forcing everyone to play a single thankless role. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Embarking upon a career with Cherry Creek Schools that can often be thankless but means a whole lot to them. — Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 8 Aug. 2026 These conflicts raged on through the pandemic, when the country was generally going insane, and in 2022, when President Joe Biden exercised his right to appoint a new chair, Rios took what was in effect a thankless cleanup job. — Christopher Hooks, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for thankless

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thankless

Adjective

In Seasons 1-4, that vicar is Sidney Chambers (James Norton), a jazz enthusiast plagued by memories of WWII who offers unsolicited insights to gruff and initially ungrateful Det.

— Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
That suggests that my miss tends to be ungrateful.

— Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026

Definition of ungrateful

Adjective

The slip didn’t go unnoticed by Mikey Day’s Lorax, who later worked the blunder into the sketch.

— Anna Tingley, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
And according to Nanayakkara, this in turn raises the possibility that even older (and fainter) FRBs have passed by Earth unnoticed.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of unnoticed

Adjective

Were my siblings rude to ignore my plan and take them for themselves?

— Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
An alligator with a sense of humor knocked on a North Carolina woman’s front door in the middle of the night, and the rascal got a rather rude response.

— Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of rude

Adjective

Ye voiced their lyrical competition, griped about feeling unappreciated, and, most notably, suggested that Jay-Z copied one of his collaboration ideas and released it first.

— John Kennedy, VIBE.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Travis Roy Rogers plays Darrel Curtis, the eldest who has been forced to take on a parental role and is starting to resent all his unappreciated sacrifices.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of unappreciated

Adjective

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
Apparently, the jabs and insults from his unappreciative guest kept coming.

— Gil Macias, People.com, 3 Jan. 2025

Definition of unappreciative

Browse Nearby Words

thanking

thankless

thanklessness

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Style

“Thankless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thankless. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of thankless

adjective

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