thanks

thanks — noun

1. a word you say to show you are pleased about something someone has done, given,

1.nounA1
Definition

a word you say to show you are pleased about something someone has done, given, or said — the same as 'thank you' but less formal.

Example

Aylin smiled and said, 'Thanks for the birthday card!'

thanks for + noun

'Would you like more soup?' 'No, thanks, I've had enough.'

no, thanks for polite refusal

Common collocations
  • thanks for
  • thanks a lot
  • many thanks
  • no, thanks
Synonyms
  • thank you

    more formal and complete than 'thanks'

  • cheers

    informal British English, used in casual speech

  • ta

    very informal British English, often used with children

Grammar Patterns

thanks for + noun / verb-ing

no, thanks (polite refusal)

thanks + noun

Usage Note

More casual than 'thank you'; common in everyday conversation between people who know each other. 'Thanks' can be used both to accept and to politely refuse an offer (with 'no').

Common Mistakes

I thanks you for the gift.
Thanks for the gift.
'Thanks' is already a complete exclamation; do not add a subject or conjugate it like a verb.

2. the words or actions you use to tell someone you feel pleased about what they di

2.nounA2
Definition

the words or actions you use to tell someone you feel pleased about what they did for you, such as saying 'thank you' or writing a short message.

Example

The old man whispered his thanks to the nurse who helped him wash.

one's thanks + to + person

Isabela wrote a short letter of thanks to every guest who came.

letter of thanks

Common collocations
  • your thanks
  • his/her/their thanks
  • say your thanks
  • offer thanks
  • letter of thanks
  • word of thanks
Synonyms
  • gratitude

    refers to the feeling of being grateful, not the words or actions expressing it

  • appreciation

    more formal; often used in writing and public statements

Antonyms
  • complaint

    an expression of dissatisfaction, the opposite of expressing thanks

Grammar Patterns

one's thanks + verb

verb + one's thanks

letter / word / message of thanks

Usage Note

Almost always used in plural form ('thanks'), even when referring to a single expression of gratitude. Unlike 'gratitude,' which describes the feeling, this sense focuses on the actual words or actions that communicate it.

Common Mistakes

He gave a thank to his friend.
He gave his thanks to his friend.
The noun form is always 'thanks,' not 'a thank.'

3. the warm feeling inside you when you recognize that someone has done something g

3.nounB1
Definition

the warm feeling inside you when you recognize that someone has done something good for you; gratitude as a state of mind.

Example

The family offered prayers of thanks for their new healthy baby.

prayer of thanks

Tendai looked at the full table with a heart full of thanks.

heart full of thanks

Common collocations
  • give thanks
  • prayer of thanks
  • heart full of thanks
  • feeling of thanks
Synonyms
  • gratitude

    more formal than 'thanks' for describing the emotion; 'gratitude' is always uncountable

  • gratefulness

    slightly more formal; focuses on the quality of being grateful

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

give thanks

prayer / song / heart full of thanks

Usage Note

Common in religious or solemn contexts ('give thanks to God,' 'prayer of thanks'). Unlike the exclamation sense, this refers to the internal emotion rather than a spoken expression. Distinguish from sense 2, which focuses on words or actions actually spoken or written.

Common Mistakes

I have a big thanks for your help.
I feel deep thanks for your help.' or 'I am very grateful for your help.
'Thanks' as a feeling is not used with the article 'a.' Treat it like an uncountable noun.

4. a public or official statement in which a person, organization, or group is name

4.nounB1
Definition

a public or official statement in which a person, organization, or group is named as having helped or contributed to something.

Example

Thanks are due to all the parents who helped with the school fair.

thanks are due to

Mark proposed a vote of thanks to the team after the project ended.

vote of thanks

Common collocations
  • thanks are due
  • vote of thanks
  • with thanks to
  • sincere thanks
  • special thanks
Synonyms
  • acknowledgment

    formal recognition of someone's contribution, often in writing

  • credit

    giving public recognition; 'credit goes to...'

  • recognition

    formal notice of someone's work or help

Grammar Patterns

thanks are due to + person

vote of thanks

with thanks to + person

one's thanks go to + person

Usage Note

Typically used in formal writing, public speeches, book acknowledgments, and official ceremonies. The phrase 'vote of thanks' is a standard expression used at the end of a formal meeting or event to publicly thank the organizers.

Common Mistakes

I want to give a vote of thanks for your help with my bags.
I want to say a special thanks to you for helping with my bags.
'Vote of thanks' is a formal group expression, not for personal, everyday help.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four words involve recognizing someone's help or kindness, but they differ in how the recognition is expressed. 'Thanks' is the everyday word for the words or actions you use to show you are grateful — it is concrete and commonly used in speech. 'Gratitude' describes the inner feeling of being thankful rather than the expression of it; you feel gratitude but you say thanks. 'Appreciation' is more formal and often used in writing to recognize someone's effort or quality of work, as in 'a letter of appreciation.' 'Acknowledgment' is the most formal of the group and usually refers to a public or written statement that credits someone's contribution, such as the acknowledgments page in a book. For everyday situations where you tell someone you are pleased about what they did, 'thanks' is the most natural choice. For example: 'I whispered my thanks to the waiter' (concrete words spoken), versus 'I felt deep gratitude toward the team' (internal feeling).

thanks ↗gratitude ↗appreciation ↗acknowledgment

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • thanks to
  • vote of thanks
  • with thanks
  • offer thanks
  • give thanks
  • say thanks

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'thanks' comes from Old English 'þanc' which originally meant 'thought' or 'gratitude.' In early Germanic cultures, thinking of someone with kindness was closely tied to feeling grateful toward them. Over time, the focus shifted from the act of thinking to the expression of gratitude itself. The singular form 'thank' fell out of noun use in modern English, leaving 'thanks' as the standard plural form for all senses.