1
as in free
not costing or charging anything
A local veterinary technician provides gratuitous services to the animal shelter twice a month.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unnecessary
not needed by the circumstances or to accomplish an end
that violent scene was completely gratuitous and didn't need to be in the movie at all
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of gratuitous
Neither didactic nor gratuitous, these questions are neatly streamed into the screenplay and will enhance the film’s appeal for many viewers.
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Richard Kuipers, Variety, 29 Oct. 2024
Outside of casting, Season 4 begins to show its cracks (possibly because showrunner John Hoffman had to focus on weaving all those gratuitous guest stars into the story).
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2024
Only to spend my money on senseless, completely gratuitous experiences, without zebras or anything.
—Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
In an early cutscene, Frank checks out a character’s body with a first-person camera sequence following his gaze — but all in all, Deluxe Remaster is an interesting case for modernizing a game to omit gratuitous sexualization and sensationalism.
—Diego Argüello, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gratuitous 
Richard Kuipers, Variety, 29 Oct. 2024
Outside of casting, Season 4 begins to show its cracks (possibly because showrunner John Hoffman had to focus on weaving all those gratuitous guest stars into the story).
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2024
Only to spend my money on senseless, completely gratuitous experiences, without zebras or anything.
—Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
In an early cutscene, Frank checks out a character’s body with a first-person camera sequence following his gaze — but all in all, Deluxe Remaster is an interesting case for modernizing a game to omit gratuitous sexualization and sensationalism.
—Diego Argüello, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gratuitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gratuitous
Adjective
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Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Toria Sheffield, People.com, 15 Dec. 2024
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Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 15 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Be clear about your priorities and don’t let unnecessary features distract you.Rhett Power, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
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But they were assured reservations were unnecessary.Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 15 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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This is optional under current law, and some Ohio school boards have rescinded religious programs like LifeWise Academy.Jessie Balmert, The Enquirer, 19 Dec. 2024
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There’s also some flexibility here: The mounting hardware is optional and the storage system can work either vertically or horizontally, depending on what would function best in your space.Alex Ronan, Architectural Digest, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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As with most high-end safari camps, laundry service is complimentary (which is a big help considering weight restrictions on light aircraft).Nicole Trilivas, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2024
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Free seat upgrades: Starting early next year, members with Elite Gold status and above will get complimentary seat upgrades to first class, UpFront Plus, or premium seating on every flight where available.Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 6 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Gratuitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gratuitous. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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