grateful

comparative gratefuller · comparative more grateful · superlative gratefullest · superlative most grateful · alternative gratefull

1. Of a person or their actions, feelings, etc.: expressing gratitude or appreciation; appreciative, thankful.

   I’m grateful that you helped me out.

   5 more examples

   I cannot giue thee leſſe to be cal'd gratefull: / Thou thoughtſt to helpe me, and ſuch thankes I giue, / As one neere death to thoſe that vviſh him liue: […]

   c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 236, column 1

   They ſat them dovvn, and after no more toil / Of thir ſvveet Gardning labour then ſuffic'd / To recommend coole Zephyr, and made eaſe / More eaſie, vvholſom thirſt and appetite / More grateful, to thir Supper Fruits they fell, / Nectarine Fruits vvhich the compliant boughes / Yeilded them, ſide-long as they ſat recline / On the ſoft dovvnie Bank damaskt vvith flours: […]

   1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, signature [M4], recto, lines 327–334

   Ye Nations, vvho the Globe divide, / Ye num'rous Nations ſcatter'd vvide, / To God your grateful Voices raiſe: […]

   1739, John Wesley, Charles Wesley, “Psalm CXVII”, in Hymns and Sacred Poems, London: […] William Strahan; and sold by James Hutton, […]; and at Mr. Bray’s, […], →OCLC, part II, stanza I, page 139

   VVhen ſhe and I vvere alone, ſhe took grateful notice of the concluding part of the third Letter; vvhere ſhe is mentioned vvith ſo much tenderneſs, and in a manner ſo vvorthy of the character of the politeſt of men, as vvel reſpecting herſelf as her Sex, […]

   1753 (indicated as 1754), [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXXIII. Continuation of Lady G.’s Letter to Lady L.”, in The History of Sir Charles Grandison. […], volume IV, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by C. Hitch and L. Hawes, […], →OCLC, page 239

   [T]he noble secretary had not only been given a choice toast, sung a choice song, and been hailed by the grateful plaudits of all present; but had proceeded in his attempt to fulfil the pledge which he had given at the gate to the very letter, by calling out lustily for a bottle of Geisenheim, lemons, brandy, and a bowl.

   1827, [Benjamin Disraeli], chapter I, in Vivian Grey, volume IV, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, book VI, page 22

   Synonyms: glad · Antonyms: ingrateful, ungrateful, thankless

2. archaicOf a thing or (obsolete) person: pleasing to the mind or senses; agreeable, pleasant, welcome.

   Chaſt, nothing better; vvanton, nothing vvorſe, / The grate-fulſt Bleſsing, or the greateſt Curſe.

   1609, Tho[mas] Heywood, “Canto. 9.”, in Troia Britanica: Or, Great Britaines Troy. […], London: […] W[illiam] Iaggard, →OCLC, stanza 2, page 197

   5 more examples

   [T]his is a guift / Very gratefull, I am ſure of it, to expreſſe / The like kindneſſe my ſelfe, that haue beene / More kindely beholding to you then any: […]

   c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 215, column 1

   [T]he aſſvvagement of his [a wise man's] diſcontent conſiſts in tvvo things, formerly preſcribed as remedies againſt corporeall pain; viz. Diverſion of his thoughts from his loſſe, or the cause of it; and an application of them to thoſe things, vvhich he knovves to be gratefull and pleaſant to his mind.

   1659–1660, Thomas Stanley, “[The Doctrine of Epicurus.] Chap[ter] XXIII. Of Fortitude, against Discontent of Mind.”, in The History of Philosophy, the Third and Last Volume, […], volume III, London: […] Humphrey Moseley, and Thomas Dring, […], →OCLC, 5th part (Containing the Epicurean Sect), 3rd part of philosophy (Ethick, or Morals), page 261

   [page 178] The Seer, vvhile Zephyrs curl the ſvvelling deep, / Basks on the breezy ſhore, in grateful ſleep, / His oozy limbs. […] [page 180] VVith joy impetuous, to the port I ſpeed: / The vvants of nature vvith repaſt ſuffice, / 'Till night vvith grateful ſhade involv'd the skies, / And ſhed ambroſial devvs.

   1725, Homer, “Book IV”, in [Elijah Fenton], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume I, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC, pages 178 and 180, lines 541–543 and 580–583

   Then in Oblivion's grateful cup I drovvn / The galling ſneer, the ſupercilious frovvn, / The ſtrange reſerve, the proud affected ſtate / Of upſtart knaves grovvn rich and fools grovvn great.

   1761, [Charles Churchill], Night. An Epistle to Robert Lloyd. […], London: […] W[illiam] Flexney, […], →OCLC, page 5

   [W]hen a ſhovver comes to refreſh the earth, then the vvhole multitude [of frogs] are ſeen to quit their retreats, in order to enjoy the grateful humidity.

   1791, Oliver Goldsmith, “Of the Frog, and Its Varieties”, in An History of the Earth, and Animated Nature. […], new edition, volume VII, London: […] F[rancis] Wingrave, successor to Mr. [John] Nourse, […], →OCLC, page 76

   Antonyms: ingrateful, ungrateful