gratitude

gratitude — noun

1. the warm sense of appreciation you feel when someone has been kind to you or whe

1.noun
Definition

the warm sense of appreciation you feel when someone has been kind to you or when something good happens in your life

Example

Ravi sent a short note of gratitude to the nurse who had cared for his mother.

collocation: note / letter / word of gratitude

With tears in her eyes, the old woman whispered her gratitude to the young man who saved her dog.

collocation: whisper / express gratitude to someone

Common collocations
  • deep gratitude
  • sincere gratitude
  • express gratitude
  • show gratitude
  • feel gratitude
  • with gratitude
  • in gratitude
  • out of gratitude
  • a debt of gratitude
  • a letter of gratitude
  • a word of gratitude
  • a gesture of gratitude
Synonyms
  • thankfulness

    very close in meaning; slightly more personal or reflective tone

  • appreciation

    focuses on recognizing value or quality; can be used for things, not just kindness

  • gratefulness

    less common and slightly more formal or literary than gratitude

Antonyms
  • ingratitude

    the lack or absence of gratitude

  • thanklessness

    less common; describes both a lack of thanks and a lack of reward

Grammar Patterns

gratitude + to + someone

gratitude + for + something

express/feel/show + gratitude

Usage Note

Usually uncountable. Often followed by the prepositions 'to' (indicating the person) and 'for' (indicating the reason): express gratitude to the staff for their hard work.

Common Mistakes

I want to express my gratitude for you helping me so much.
I want to express my gratitude to you for helping me so much.
Use 'to' before the person and 'for' before the action or kindness.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Gratitude, thankfulness, appreciation and gratefulness all describe the feeling of being thankful for something good. Gratitude is by far the most common word in this group and fits naturally in most contexts — from casual notes to formal speeches. Thankfulness is very close in meaning but often carries a slightly more personal, everyday tone, especially in religious or reflective settings ('a heart full of thankfulness'). Appreciation adds a layer of recognising value or quality; you can appreciate good work or a thoughtful gift without feeling deep personal gratitude. Gratefulness is the least common of the four and sounds more formal or literary. For example: 'The team accepted the bonus with gratitude' sounds natural, but 'with gratefulness' would seem stiff. Use gratitude for most situations; choose appreciation when the focus is on recognising merit, and thankfulness when the tone is more personal or spiritual.

gratitude ↗thankfulnessappreciation ↗gratefulness

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • with gratitude
  • in gratitude
  • out of gratitude
  • as a token of gratitude

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Gratitude entered English from French in the 1400s. Its Latin root 'gratus' means 'pleasing' or 'thankful'. The same root also gave English the words grace, grateful, and congratulate.