What does ingratitude mean?
Ingratitude names the absence of gratitude toward someone who has helped, supported, or treated us well. It is more than simple forgetfulness: the word usually suggests a failure to acknowledge kindness, and it can imply disloyalty, ingratitude toward a benefactor, or a broader sense of a society that refuses to appreciate the people who sustain it. The term is strongly disapproving and is used most often in formal discussion, historical narrative, and moral commentary, though it also appears in ordinary argument about personal relationships. Because it is usually uncountable, expressions such as 'show ingratitude' and 'the height of ingratitude' are more natural than a precise count of instances. Its value as a vocabulary word lies in its precise moral force: it distinguishes deliberate or persistent failure to show appreciation from mere absence of thanks.
nounThe fact or quality of being ungrateful, especially toward someone who has helped you or shown you kindness.
- Failure to acknowledge or appreciate kindness, generosity, or help received.
- Lack of gratitude toward a person, group, or community, often implying betrayal or disloyalty.
"Her ingratitude toward the volunteers who rescued her shocked the entire community."
"The account described his ingratitude toward the family that had supported him for years."
"She spoke of the refugees' suffering not as a reason for anger, but as a rebuke of society's ingratitude."
Possible but uncommon; the word is normally used in the uncountable singular.
"The novel presents a series of small ingratitudes rather than one dramatic betrayal."
Ingratitude is gratitude's sharpest moral opposite: it remembers what was done for us and overlooks what was done for others.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ingratitude come from?
The word entered English in the late sixteenth century through French, from Latin ingrātūdō, meaning 'ungratefulness'. Its Latin root was ingrātus, formed from the prefix in- and grātus, 'pleasing' or 'grateful'. The same root underlies English words such as grateful, gratitude, and gratuity.
How ingratitude is actually used
Usually uncountable, though the plural 'ingratitudes' is possible. It is a strongly disapproving term and is often used in moral, political, or literary contexts.
Easily confused with ingratitude
Gratitude is the feeling or expression of thankfulness for a kindness received, whereas ingratitude is the absence or betrayal of that thankfulness.