grateful

[ greyt-fuhl ]

adjective

1. warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful:

   I am grateful to you for your help.

   Synonyms: indebted, obliged

2. expressing or actuated by gratitude:

   a grateful letter.

3. pleasing to the mind or senses; agreeable; welcome:

   a grateful breeze;

   The peace and calm of the hill country is a grateful relief.

   Synonyms: gratifying, pleasant

grateful

/ ˈɡreɪtfʊl /

adjective

1. thankful for gifts, favours, etc; appreciative
2. showing gratitude

   a grateful letter

3. favourable or pleasant

   a grateful rest

Derived Forms

• ˈgratefulness, noun
• ˈgratefully, adverb

Other Words From

• grate·ful·ly adverb
• grate·ful·ness noun
• o·ver·grate·ful adjective
• o·ver·grate·ful·ly adverb
• qua·si-grate·ful adjective
• qua·si-grate·ful·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of grateful¹

First recorded in 1545–55; obsolete grate “pleasing” (from Latin grātus ) + -ful

Word History and Origins

Origin of grateful¹

C16: from obsolete grate, from Latin grātus + -ful

Synonym Study

Grateful, thankful describe an appreciative attitude for what one has received. Grateful indicates a warm or deep appreciation of personal kindness as shown to one: grateful for favors; grateful to one's neighbors for help in time of trouble. Thankful indicates a disposition to express gratitude by giving thanks, as to a benefactor or to a merciful Providence; there is often a sense of deliverance as well as of appreciation: thankful that one's life was spared in an accident; thankful for the comfort of one's general situation.

Example Sentences

In response, Chan described the gesture as "so romantic", adding: "Can’t get quite as low anymore but more in love and grateful for that love than ever."

From BBC

He said he was very grateful they had managed to navigate it.

From BBC

Ms Williams calls it her "happy place" and Mr Wilmore says he is "grateful" to be there.

From BBC

The boys' uncle Iván had told the BBC he was hugely grateful for all the support they had received and hoped his nephews would be found.

From BBC

As the journalist Matt Pearce put it: “Hard to describe as a journalist how grateful I am to have a text-based app that does not suppress hyperlinks. I don’t know if people realize exactly how hostile the corporate internet has gotten toward news.”

From Slate

Related Words

• beholden
• indebted
• pleased
• thankful