Definition

Noun: A person who does not show or express gratitude; an ungrateful individual.

Usage

This term is used to describe someone who receives kindness, help, or a benefit but fails to acknowledge or appreciate it. It carries a strong tone of disapproval and disappointment.

Examples

• He helped that thankless wretch for years, and never received a single word of thanks.
• After all I've done for you, don't be such a thankless wretch.
• She felt like a thankless wretch for forgetting to thank her friend for the support.

Advanced Usage

The term is often used in a rhetorical or exclamatory way to express frustration or moral judgment. * "You thankless wretch!" he cried, hurt by the indifference.

Variants and Related Words

• Ingrate (noun): A more formal synonym for an ungrateful person.
• Thankless (adjective): (Of a task or job) not receiving the thanks or appreciation deserved. (e.g., ). This adjective form describes the task, not the person.

Synonyms

• Ingrate
• Ungrateful person

Idioms and Related Phrases

While not an idiom itself, the term is a strong, descriptive phrase often used in contexts similar to the idiom: * To bite the hand that feeds you: To harm or show ingratitude toward someone who has helped you.

Noun

1. a person who shows no gratitude