grateful

adjective

grate·​ful ˈgrāt-fəl How to pronounce grateful (audio)
Synonyms of grateful
1
a
: appreciative of benefits received : feeling or showing thanks
b
: expressing gratitude
a grateful smile
2
a
: affording pleasure or contentment : pleasing
b
: pleasing by reason of comfort supplied or discomfort alleviated
… shy wild creatures are at home beneath the grateful lights and shadows of the woods, rejoicing in their fullness of perfect life!—John Muir
gratefully
ˈgrāt-fə-lē How to pronounce grateful (audio)
adverb
gratefulness noun

Synonyms of grateful

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Examples of grateful in a Sentence

The voice quacking at the other end of the line sounded surprised and grateful—a young man's eager voice, thankful for the sudden interruption on an otherwise empty afternoon. —Paul Theroux, Granta, Summer 1992
I didn't have to be in love with the man to do this, and my poor body'd probably be grateful to get fed, since it'd been on such a starvation diet. —Terry McMillan, Waiting to Exhale, 1992
Sergeant James Smith was a company clerk, which meant that he carried his commander's maps, Edwards was grateful to learn. —Tom Clancy, Red Storm Rising, 1986
I am grateful for the Latin I took and for the emphasis on English grammar, which seems to have faded from the curriculum. —John Updike, Hugging the Shore, (1983) 1984
The college sent us a grateful acknowledgment of our donation. I'm grateful to you for your help. He's grateful for the attention.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Now, the 34-year-old utilityman is grateful to be back and eager to build on his four-for-four start over two games. — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 The videos often end with hugs and tears from grateful homeowners and neighbors. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026 Burke pointed out that Cooper is about eight years ahead of Earle, career-wise, so maybe Earle will age out of the relatable, grateful, vapid-girlie role soon enough. — Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026 For a time, Kyiv was grateful for pledges of American support, Bayraktar drones from Turkey, and whatever cheap weapons emerged from Ukrainian garages and warehouses. — Thomas Nagorski, Time, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for grateful

Word History

Etymology

obsolete grate pleasing, thankful, from Latin gratus — more at grace

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of grateful was in 1552

Phrases Containing grateful

Rhymes for grateful

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Browse Nearby Words

G-rated
grateful
gratefully
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Cite this Entry

“Grateful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grateful. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

grateful

adjective
grate·​ful ˈgrāt-fəl How to pronounce grateful (audio)
1
a
: appreciative of benefits received
b
: expressing gratitude
2
: giving pleasure or contentment : pleasing
gratefully
-fə-lē How to pronounce grateful (audio)
adverb
gratefulness noun

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