thankful
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See grateful.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of thankful
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English thancful; see thank, -ful
Compare meaning
How does thankful compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
On Thanksgiving, we remember to be thankful, showing and feeling our thanks for the meal and company in front of us. When you are thankful, you're full of thanks. It's a word that expresses either a feeling or showing of gratitude. You can be thankful that the long week is over, or you can give a thankful smile to your boss when she says you can leave a few hours early.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I am grateful there were no reported injuries and thankful for the first responders, engineers, and launch crews who acted quickly," Haridopolos said.
From Barron's • May 29, 2026
“I will never be able to make sense of this loss but I am thankful that we had found a way to become friends.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
He continued: "My heart is broken for the Busch family. I will never be able to make sense of this loss but I am thankful that we had found a way to become friends."
From BBC • May 21, 2026
“Heartbroken that I can’t see you all this week, I wouldn’t be in the place I am today without you guys and am so thankful for your understanding.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
My self-imposed rule was that each conversation must start on a thankful note.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
