Thankless
adjective
A job or task that is hard and does not receive gratitude or recognition.
Being a nurse often feels like a thankless job.
Often appears as...
- thankless job
- thankless task
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Someone who does not show gratitude or say thank you when it is expected.
She spent all day cooking a feast, but her thankless children barely acknowledged her efforts.
Often appears as...
- thankless child
- thankless person
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
A job or task that is hard and does not receive gratitude or recognition.
Being a nurse often feels like a thankless job.
Often appears as...
- thankless job
- thankless task
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Someone who does not show gratitude or say thank you when it is expected.
She spent all day cooking a feast, but her thankless children barely acknowledged her efforts.
Often appears as...
- thankless child
- thankless person
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emotionally Draining
Work described as 'thankless' often implies emotional or physical exhaustion without reward.
Cleaning up after the festival was a thankless task, leaving the volunteers utterly spent.
Pro Tip 2/3Lack of Visibility
A 'thankless' job is usually behind the scenes, unnoticed by many.
Fact-checking articles is a thankless job; readers rarely know who did it.
Pro Tip 3/3Seldom Complimented
Positions dubbed 'thankless' typically receive little praise or applause.
Directing traffic on a hot day is often a thankless work.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotionally Draining
Work described as 'thankless' often implies emotional or physical exhaustion without reward.
Cleaning up after the festival was a thankless task, leaving the volunteers utterly spent.
Pro Tip 2/3Lack of Visibility
A 'thankless' job is usually behind the scenes, unnoticed by many.
Fact-checking articles is a thankless job; readers rarely know who did it.
Pro Tip 3/3Seldom Complimented
Positions dubbed 'thankless' typically receive little praise or applause.
Directing traffic on a hot day is often a thankless work.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotionally Draining
Work described as 'thankless' often implies emotional or physical exhaustion without reward.
Cleaning up after the festival was a thankless task, leaving the volunteers utterly spent.
Pro Tip 2/3Lack of Visibility
A 'thankless' job is usually behind the scenes, unnoticed by many.
Fact-checking articles is a thankless job; readers rarely know who did it.
Pro Tip 3/3Seldom Complimented
Positions dubbed 'thankless' typically receive little praise or applause.
Directing traffic on a hot day is often a thankless work.
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Video examples
How Do Honeybees Get...
constant work most workers will leave the nest as death approaches the corpses of those that die inside the hive are carried out by an undertaker bees it's a thankless life for the worker bee but this collaboration and process has made them one of the most successful
Video examples
One more reason to get a...
cleaning and maintaining this unimaginably complex machine. Like our housework, it's a dirty and a thankless job, but it's also important. In your house, if you stop cleaning your kitchen for a month, your home will become completely unlivable
Video examples
"Three Months After" by...
who is not your enemy This grief who maybe now is your best friend. This grief who is your husband, the thing you curl into every night, falling asleep in its arms. Who wakes up early to make you your cold thankless breakfast.
Video examples
How Do Honeybees Get...
constant work most workers will leave the nest as death approaches the corpses of those that die inside the hive are carried out by an undertaker bees it's a thankless life for the worker bee but this collaboration and process has made them one of the most successful
Video examples
One more reason to get a...
cleaning and maintaining this unimaginably complex machine. Like our housework, it's a dirty and a thankless job, but it's also important. In your house, if you stop cleaning your kitchen for a month, your home will become completely unlivable
Video examples
"Three Months After" by...
who is not your enemy This grief who maybe now is your best friend. This grief who is your husband, the thing you curl into every night, falling asleep in its arms. Who wakes up early to make you your cold thankless breakfast.
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Jaideep Ahlawat
Indian Actor
We humans need to reboot and learn to have gratitude for our doctors, police officers, or those providing essential services, otherwise they would feel that it's a thankless job. They risk their lives for others and don't even get time for their own family. We need to be more compassionate, caring towards them instead of misbehaving.
Quote examples
Jay Samit
American Businessman
There is no better feeling than doing well while you are doing good. If you really want to meet the nicest, most caring people in your field, get involved with charity work. The thankless hours that go into planning charity dinners, running a carnival, and gathering donations for silent auctions are noticed and appreciated.
Quote examples
John David Washington
American Actor
There's some men and women out there that are doing their job the right way. They're protecting and serving complete strangers in their communities the right way. And it's a thankless job. Obviously, there's a lot of information out on cops not doing their jobs correctly, but the ones that are should be celebrated.
Quote examples
Xavier Dolan
Canadian Actor
Cinema is a thankless industry where sometimes to appear on the cinematic scenery is a thing for late bloomers and people who are very patient. The places are accounted, and the space is often unwelcoming. Money is rare, and independent voices are muted by the almost complete absence of risk takers.
Quote examples
Howard Warren Buffett
American Educator
When I was 5, my father was very much my hero. And he ran for political office in a very thankless campaign for a very thankless position. And he did it because his mother had instilled in him, if you are someone who has the capacity to make a great change, you have the responsibility.
Quote examples
George Orwell
British Author
Prolonged, indiscriminate reviewing of books is a quite exceptionally thankless, irritating and exhausting job. It not only involves praising trash but constantly inventing reactions towards books about which one has no spontaneous feeling whatever.
Quote examples
Jenna Morasca
American Model
Being a caretaker is, and never will be, an easy job; in fact, it is that hardest job in the world and many times a thankless job. You have to be the pillar of strength even when you feel like you are crumbling to pieces inside.
Quote examples
Ankit Tiwari
Indian Singer
The most thankless job in our film industry is that of lyricists. Next in the list are writers. These two don't get any recognition at all, whereas they have the most important roles in every film today.
Quote examples
Brian Kilmeade
American Entertainer
We are surrounded every day by people who do thankless but important work.
Quote examples
William Shakespeare
English Playwright
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!
Quote examples
Jaideep Ahlawat
Indian Actor
We humans need to reboot and learn to have gratitude for our doctors, police officers, or those providing essential services, otherwise they would feel that it's a thankless job. They risk their lives for others and don't even get time for their own family. We need to be more compassionate, caring towards them instead of misbehaving.
Quote examples
Jay Samit
American Businessman
There is no better feeling than doing well while you are doing good. If you really want to meet the nicest, most caring people in your field, get involved with charity work. The thankless hours that go into planning charity dinners, running a carnival, and gathering donations for silent auctions are noticed and appreciated.
Quote examples
John David Washington
American Actor
There's some men and women out there that are doing their job the right way. They're protecting and serving complete strangers in their communities the right way. And it's a thankless job. Obviously, there's a lot of information out on cops not doing their jobs correctly, but the ones that are should be celebrated.
Quote examples
Xavier Dolan
Canadian Actor
Cinema is a thankless industry where sometimes to appear on the cinematic scenery is a thing for late bloomers and people who are very patient. The places are accounted, and the space is often unwelcoming. Money is rare, and independent voices are muted by the almost complete absence of risk takers.
Quote examples
Howard Warren Buffett
American Educator
When I was 5, my father was very much my hero. And he ran for political office in a very thankless campaign for a very thankless position. And he did it because his mother had instilled in him, if you are someone who has the capacity to make a great change, you have the responsibility.
Quote examples
George Orwell
British Author
Prolonged, indiscriminate reviewing of books is a quite exceptionally thankless, irritating and exhausting job. It not only involves praising trash but constantly inventing reactions towards books about which one has no spontaneous feeling whatever.
Quote examples
Jenna Morasca
American Model
Being a caretaker is, and never will be, an easy job; in fact, it is that hardest job in the world and many times a thankless job. You have to be the pillar of strength even when you feel like you are crumbling to pieces inside.
Quote examples
Ankit Tiwari
Indian Singer
The most thankless job in our film industry is that of lyricists. Next in the list are writers. These two don't get any recognition at all, whereas they have the most important roles in every film today.
Quote examples
Brian Kilmeade
American Entertainer
We are surrounded every day by people who do thankless but important work.
Quote examples
William Shakespeare
English Playwright
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!
Example 1 of 10
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