Word
thankless
Phoneticsthank·less, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈθæŋkɫəs/
UK/θˈæŋkləs/
Definition
adj. not thanked or praised even though the work is hard. You use it when people do a lot but get no thanks back.
adj. receiving no gratitude or recognition despite effort or merit. Often describes duties or roles where effort goes unacknowledged.
Examples
“Cleaning up after everyone feels thankless sometimes.”
“She spends hours planning family meals, a thankless job that no one notices until she stops doing it.”
“Coaching youth sports can feel thankless, demanding endless patience for little recognition beyond the quiet satisfaction of watching players improve.”
Examples
simple
“Cleaning up after everyone feels thankless sometimes.”
contextual
“She spends hours planning family meals, a thankless job that no one notices until she stops doing it.”
complex
“Coaching youth sports can feel thankless, demanding endless patience for little recognition beyond the quiet satisfaction of watching players improve.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “thankless” in context.
Verb
01. consider thankless
“Many parents consider night feeds thankless but necessary.”
verb + adj
02. find thankless
“She found the admin work thankless and exhausting.”
verb + adj
03. prove thankless
“All his extra efforts proved thankless in the end.”
verb + adj
04. seem thankless
“The paperwork can seem thankless after long shifts.”
verb + adj
Adjective
05. notoriously thankless
“Refereeing is notoriously thankless at every level.”
adv + adj
06. often thankless
“Volunteering is often thankless but deeply rewarding.”
adv + adj
Noun
07. thankless chore
“Washing up after the party felt like a thankless chore.”
adj + noun
08. a thankless job
“Moderating online comments is a thankless job.”
09. a thankless task
“Organising the rota is a thankless task nobody wants.”
10. do the thankless work
“Volunteers do the thankless work behind the scenes.”
11. stuck with a thankless task
“He felt stuck with a thankless task and no support.”
12. take on a thankless role
“She agreed to take on a thankless role in the committee.”
Usage
Typically placed before nouns like 'task', 'job', and 'role'; also used predicatively after 'feel' or 'seem'.
Real-World Examples
“Again, he’s the former No. 1 pick, and he’s doing a lot of thankless work at times, so we always praise him for that.” “In conversations afterward, Steiner described the job as thankless, warned that the agency's finances were increasingly dire without federal aid, and said he wanted out, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity.” “Last month, after three thankless years, I finished my final 12.5-hour night shift as a student midwife.” “Ms. Austin portrays hosting a family holiday meal as an exhausting obligation borne by the eldest daughter — chaotic, thankless and ultimately not worth the effort.” Etymology
From Middle English thankles, equivalent to thank + -less.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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