Synonyms

thank-you

American

[thangk-yoo] / ˈθæŋkˌyu /

adjective

expressing one's gratitude or thanks.

a thank-you note.

noun

an expression of thanks, as by saying “thank you”.

I never got so much as a thank-you for helping him.

thank you British

interjection

a conventional expression of gratitude

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of thank-you

1785–95 thank-you for def. 2; noun and adj. use of verb phrase thank you

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 experienced a secondhand childhood shiver of being prompted to write a thank-you note.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2026

The eyewear makers all received thank-you letters from the president, recalled Karine Pelissard, who has spent 30 years in the trade.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

The arrangement is framed as gratitude, his thank-you to Elizabeth for helping him secure his first restaurant, but its implications ripple outward.

From Salon • Dec. 25, 2025

The exhibit includes a thank-you note from Ms. Gentry to Rick Hall.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 20, 2025

Well, besides the thank-you notes Mom still makes me write to Grandma and Grandpa after my birthday and Christmas.

From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023