grateful

[ greyt-fuhl ]

adjective

1. warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful:

   I am grateful to you for your help.

   Synonyms: indebted, obliged

2. expressing or actuated by gratitude:

   a grateful letter.

3. pleasing to the mind or senses; agreeable; welcome:

   a grateful breeze;

   The peace and calm of the hill country is a grateful relief.

   Synonyms: gratifying, pleasant

grateful

/ ˈɡreɪtfʊl /

adjective

1. thankful for gifts, favours, etc; appreciative
2. showing gratitude

   a grateful letter

3. favourable or pleasant

   a grateful rest

Derived Forms

• ˈgratefully, adverb
• ˈgratefulness, noun

Other Words From

• grate·ful·ly adverb
• grate·ful·ness noun
• o·ver·grate·ful adjective
• o·ver·grate·ful·ly adverb
• qua·si-grate·ful adjective
• qua·si-grate·ful·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of grateful¹

First recorded in 1545–55; obsolete grate “pleasing” (from Latin grātus ) + -ful

Word History and Origins

Origin of grateful¹

C16: from obsolete grate, from Latin grātus + -ful

Synonym Study

Grateful, thankful describe an appreciative attitude for what one has received. Grateful indicates a warm or deep appreciation of personal kindness as shown to one: grateful for favors; grateful to one's neighbors for help in time of trouble. Thankful indicates a disposition to express gratitude by giving thanks, as to a benefactor or to a merciful Providence; there is often a sense of deliverance as well as of appreciation: thankful that one's life was spared in an accident; thankful for the comfort of one's general situation.

Example Sentences

So for the first time we were offered a reprieve and we were so grateful when we found out Poles are moving into a neighborhood.

From Ozy

The benefit is tons of comments all the time from people about how grateful they are to have an opportunity to be outdoors, to see the kids smiling.

From Eater

We’re just grateful to receive so much organic visibility since we’ve never worked with influencers in a paid capacity.

From Fortune

Despite the lack of mobility, Edmondson is grateful for the affordability and flexibility living in her van has allowed during so much uncertainty.

From Outside Online

By Saturday, Mullenweg tweeted he was “very grateful that folks at Apple re-reviewed” the WordPress app.

From Fortune

As I am in most restaurants, I was grateful for any modifications that could be made.

From The Daily Beast

They provide their own assistance and we are grateful to them for this.

From The Daily Beast

She realized that turkeys have, as she puts it, “nothing to be grateful for” each year on the last Thursday of November.

From The Daily Beast

After walking museum hallways my entire life, I am grateful for the opportunity to be on the other side of the wall.

From The Daily Beast

They can only be grateful to be equipped and trained with full body hazmat suits complete with hooded face masks.

From The Daily Beast

Alessandro turned a grateful look on Ramona as he translated this speech, so in unison with Indian modes of thought and feeling.

From Project Gutenberg

He turned to the gentle accents of his sweet Alice, breathed in a letter which had been wet with her grateful tears.

From Project Gutenberg

At sight of this generous enemy, this faithful friend, how could he restrain the grateful impulse to fling himself into his arms!

From Project Gutenberg

It was a life full of freedom, and I shall never cease to be grateful for it, but I must go home soon and look after my affairs.

From Project Gutenberg

Are you sufficiently grateful to me for having quelled your matrimonial ardour of two months ago?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• beholden
• indebted
• pleased
• thankful

How Do You Spell Grateful?

Spelling tips for grateful

The word grateful is hard to spell for two reasons. First, it is tempting to spell grate- “great.” Second, people often want to add an additional l to the end of the word -ful. 

How to spell grateful: When you are grateful, you are full of gratitude. The beginning of the words are similar. This helps you remember that grateful is spelled grate- instead of great-. It’s important to be grateful for what Little you have, which is why you only need one l at the end of the word.