grateful

grateful — adjective

1. feeling or showing appreciation toward someone who has done something helpful or

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

feeling or showing appreciation toward someone who has done something helpful or kind for you

Example

Théo was deeply grateful to his aunt for helping him pay for college.

grateful + to + person + for + noun/gerund

We are extremely grateful that the firefighters arrived before the flames spread.

grateful + that-clause

Common collocations
  • deeply grateful
  • eternally grateful
  • extremely grateful
  • truly grateful
  • grateful for
  • grateful to
  • grateful that
Synonyms
  • thankful

    More common for relief about avoiding something negative (e.g. 'thankful it did not rain'), while grateful focuses on appreciation for someone's deliberate kindness.

  • appreciative

    Emphasises recognising and valuing what was done, often in formal or professional contexts.

  • indebted

    Stronger than grateful, suggesting a feeling of moral obligation to return the kindness.

Antonyms
  • ungrateful

    Not feeling or showing thanks for kindness received.

  • unappreciative

    Failing to recognise the value or effort of something done for you.

Grammar Patterns

be grateful + for + noun/gerund

be grateful + that-clause

be grateful + to-infinitive

be grateful + to + person

Usage Note

The pattern 'I/we would be grateful if you could…' is a common polite way to make a request in formal letters, emails, and official situations.

Common Mistakes

I very grateful for your help.
I am very grateful for your help.
Grateful is an adjective and needs a linking verb like 'am', 'is', or 'are'.
She grateful my kindness.
She was grateful for my kindness.
The preposition 'for' is required before the thing you are grateful about.

2. giving a comfortable or pleasant feeling, especially when it brings relief from

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

giving a comfortable or pleasant feeling, especially when it brings relief from something difficult, hot, tiring, or unpleasant

Example

After the long climb, the hikers welcomed the grateful shade of the pine forest.

attributive use: grateful + noun

There was a grateful warmth in the kitchen where the bread had just finished baking.

Common collocations
  • grateful shade
  • grateful warmth
  • grateful rest
  • grateful relief
  • grateful escape
Synonyms
  • pleasant

    More common and informal; works in everyday conversation where grateful would sound old-fashioned.

  • comforting

    Emphasises emotional or physical relief, a close match for this sense's meaning.

  • welcome

    Highlights the sense of relief from something unwanted (e.g. 'a welcome break').

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

grateful + noun

Usage Note

This sense is almost always used attributively (before a noun) and is found mainly in literary or descriptive writing. It is not used in everyday conversation. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 does not involve feeling thankful toward a person — it describes a physical thing or situation that gives comfort.

Common Mistakes

The weather feels grateful today.
The weather feels pleasant today.
Sense 2 must come before a noun ('grateful warmth'), not after a linking verb.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Grateful, thankful, appreciative, and indebted all describe positive feelings in response to someone's kindness, but they differ in emphasis. Grateful highlights an inner warmth and desire to express thanks for a deliberate act of help — you are grateful to a friend who supports you through a difficult time. Thankful often focuses on relief from something negative: one feels thankful that the storm passed without damage. Appreciative centres on recognising and valuing what someone has done, especially in professional settings ('the management is appreciative of your hard work'). Indebted carries the strongest weight, suggesting a lasting sense of moral obligation — someone who saved your life remains someone you are indebted to. In everyday speech, grateful is the most natural choice for expressing thanks directly to another person.

grateful ↗thankful ↗appreciativeindebted

Common collocations

Adverbs

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Grateful comes from the Latin word 'gratus', meaning both 'pleasing' and 'thankful'. It entered English through French and was combined with the suffix '-ful'. The two modern senses — 'feeling thankful' and 'providing comfort' — both come from the same root: in Latin, something that is pleasing naturally gives rise to gratitude. The word replaced the older English word 'thankful' in many contexts starting around the 16th century.