grateful
[greyt-fuh l]
- warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful: I am grateful to you for your help.
- expressing or actuated by gratitude: a grateful letter.
- pleasing to the mind or senses; agreeable or welcome; refreshing: a grateful breeze.
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Origin of grateful
Synonyms
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com1. obliged, indebted. 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. 3. pleasant, gratifying, satisfying.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for gratefully
Contemporary Examples
The American-distributed Qurans would be gratefully received.
The U.S. Military Should Hand Out Qurans in Afghanistan as a Good-Will GestureRichard Miniter
March 1, 2012
Upon being hauled onto the ship, he gratefully drank a glass of water and then broke into tears.
“The Obama administration came in and gave us this extra push,” he said, gratefully.
Lopez, wearing an orange Scoop T-shirt dress, looks as gratefully exhausted as any new mother.
Historical Examples
"You are very kind, Captain Smith," said Robert, gratefully.
Brave and BoldHoratio Alger
"Thank you, Mike; you're a good friend," replied the girl, gratefully.
ThoroughbredsW. A. Fraser
"Thank you, Mildred," her cousin said, bowing to her gratefully.
Alice AdamsBooth Tarkington
Adams gratefully protracted the handshake that accompanied these inquiries.
Alice AdamsBooth Tarkington
And gratefully pressing my hand at the end, "This has been the chance of a lifetime," he said.
The HarborErnest Poole
grateful
- thankful for gifts, favours, etc; appreciative
- showing gratitudea grateful letter
- favourable or pleasanta grateful rest
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Word Origin
C16: from obsolete grate, from Latin grātus + -ful
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for gratefully
grateful
adj.
1550s, "pleasing to the mind," also "full of gratitude," from obsolete adj. grate "agreeable, thankful," from Latin gratus "pleasing" (see grace). "A most unusual formation" [Weekley]. Hard to think of another case where English uses -ful to make an adjective from an adjective. Related: Gratefully; gratefulness.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper