gratuity
noun
gra·tu·i·ty
grə-ˈtü-ə-tē 
-ˈtyü-
plural gratuities
: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service
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Gratuity vs. Tip
Gratuity is a fancier and more formal word than tip. It occurs most often in written notices along the lines of "Gratuities accepted". Its formality makes it best suited for describing tips of the dignified, expensive variety. For the taxi driver who takes you to the superb Belgian restaurant, it's a tip; for the restaurant's maitre d', it's a gratuity.
Examples of gratuity in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Cruise ships prefer to offer incentives like prepaid gratuities and shipboard credits over fare cuts, said Jamie Cash, the general manager of Cruiseline.com, a cruise search and review website.
—
Elaine Glusac, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Reservations are required and tax and gratuity are not included.
—Molly Davis, The Tennessean, 17 Dec. 2024
With the high court’s 6-3 ruling that the payment was a gratuity, the Supreme Court remanded the case to the appellate court, which determined, according to its filing, that the district court in Hammond could proceed with another trial if the government so decided.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2025
What to watch: The CRA and other industry leaders are pushing their own legislative agenda to offer restaurants relief, including:
Removing state sales taxes and gratuities from credit card swipe fees.
—Alayna Alvarez, Axios, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gratuity
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Elaine Glusac, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Reservations are required and tax and gratuity are not included.
—Molly Davis, The Tennessean, 17 Dec. 2024
With the high court’s 6-3 ruling that the payment was a gratuity, the Supreme Court remanded the case to the appellate court, which determined, according to its filing, that the district court in Hammond could proceed with another trial if the government so decided.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2025
What to watch: The CRA and other industry leaders are pushing their own legislative agenda to offer restaurants relief, including:
Removing state sales taxes and gratuities from credit card swipe fees.
—Alayna Alvarez, Axios, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gratuity
Cite this Entry
“Gratuity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gratuity. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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