thankful
6 synonyms and 2 antonyms for thankful, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Feeling or showing gratitude.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use thankful
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English þancful, "grateful" — thank plus the suffix -ful.
Full origin of thankful →Frequently asked questions
What does “thankful” mean?
The word “thankful” means feeling or showing gratitude. In plain terms, feeling grateful.
How do you pronounce “thankful”?
“Thankful” is pronounced THANGK-fuhl (/ˈθæŋkfəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “thankful” in a sentence?
Here is “thankful” used in a sentence: “I'm thankful for my family's support this year.”
What is another word for “thankful”?
Words with a similar meaning to “thankful” include grateful and appreciative.
What is the opposite of “thankful”?
The opposite of “thankful” — its antonyms — are thankless and unthankful.
What part of speech is “thankful”?
“Thankful” is an adjective.
Where does the word “thankful” come from?
The word “thankful” comes from Old English. From Old English þancful, "grateful" — thank plus the suffix -ful.
Is “thankful” a common word?
“Thankful” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between thankful and grateful?
Both mean feeling gratitude and are often interchangeable. In common usage, "thankful" frequently expresses relief that something bad did not happen, as in thankful no one was hurt, while "grateful" often expresses appreciation to a person for a kindness, as in grateful for your help.
What preposition follows thankful?
Thankful is usually followed by "for" before a thing, as in thankful for good health, and by "to" before a person, as in thankful to her. It can also be followed by "that" plus a clause, as in thankful that it ended well.
What is the difference between thankful and thanks?
"Thankful" is an adjective describing a person who feels gratitude, as in "I am thankful." "Thanks" is a noun or informal expression used to actually give gratitude, as in "thanks for coming."
What is the opposite of thankful?
The opposites of thankful include thankless, ungrateful, and unappreciative, which describe someone who fails to feel or show gratitude. Note that "thankless" can also describe a task that earns no gratitude for the person doing it.