thankless

American  

[thangk-lis] / ˈθæŋk lɪs /

adjective

1. not likely to be appreciated or rewarded; unappreciated.

   a thankless job.

   Synonyms:

   profitless , unrewarding , vain , unacknowledged

2. not feeling or expressing gratitude or appreciation; ungrateful.

   a thankless child.

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thankless British  

/ ˈθæŋklɪs /

adjective

1. receiving no thanks or appreciation

   a thankless job

2. ungrateful

   a thankless pupil

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Other Word Forms

• thanklessly adverb
• thanklessness noun

Etymology

Origin of thankless

First recorded in 1530–40; thank + -less

Example Sentences

Being an executor is often a lonely, time-consuming and thankless task.

From MarketWatch

Unfortunately this advice conflicts with activists who insisted Democrats show “fight” with the thankless government shutdown that finally ended this week.

From The Wall Street Journal

Neither of ABT’s two hardworking casts, with leading couples framed by male and female ensembles, made their dramatically opaque and intermittently acrobatic work look more than thankless.

From The Wall Street Journal

She reckons it was a thankless task - important, but frankly, a bit dull.

From BBC

"The award isn't about certifying research but celebrating it - the fun side of science. Most research is a thankless job done out of passion, and this is also a way of popularising it."

From BBC

Related Words

• fruitless
• futile
• unpleasant