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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Recent Examples of gratuitous
Aside from being gratuitous and self-defeating — what kind of voter is going to be won over by being called a name?
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Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2024
While recreating the murders, McDonald and Kendrick are intentional about not showing a gratuitous amount of violence, but also not sanitizing Alcala’s horrific crimes.
—William Earl, Variety, 21 Oct. 2024
There is a thin line between gratuitous and tasteful, maudlin and real, and that line is not located in the same place for every viewer.
—Eliza Berman, TIME, 11 Oct. 2024
In particular, the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission have targeted businesses that regulators accuse of using their market power to stick consumers with gratuitous fees while beating back competitors.
—Alain Sherter, CBS News, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gratuitous 
Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2024
While recreating the murders, McDonald and Kendrick are intentional about not showing a gratuitous amount of violence, but also not sanitizing Alcala’s horrific crimes.
—William Earl, Variety, 21 Oct. 2024
There is a thin line between gratuitous and tasteful, maudlin and real, and that line is not located in the same place for every viewer.
—Eliza Berman, TIME, 11 Oct. 2024
In particular, the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission have targeted businesses that regulators accuse of using their market power to stick consumers with gratuitous fees while beating back competitors.
—Alain Sherter, CBS News, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gratuitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gratuitous
Adjective
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Massive, inflationary government spending, especially spending that smacks of bribery — to buy votes with free stuff — simply does not sit well with most Americans.Richard Stacy, The Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2024
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Likewise, Google Drive is an Editors' Choice for its generous free tier and robust online productivity suite.PCMAG, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The Covid-19 pandemic would have challenged any president, but evidence suggests that Trump’s leadership contributed to unnecessary deaths: As many as 40 percent of American lives lost in the first year of the pandemic, according to one estimate.Vox Staff, Vox, 6 Nov. 2024
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Using scalable infrastructure that adjusts resources based on real-time needs can prevent unnecessary expenses.Abhishek Shivanna, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The price of the base model is kept low by forgoing some amenities, but these are readily available as optional convenience packages.Peter Douglas, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
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Add in a pinch of salt (optional splash of vinegar) and bring to a boil 2.Ashia Aubourg, Outside Online, 8 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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As for the complimentary wine, choose between the red, a Nero d’Avola from Sicily, or a white, an Italian Sauvignon from Lodi, Calif.Brittany Anas, The Denver Post, 12 Nov. 2024
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Get this deal directly from Dyson to receive two free complimentary gifts with your purchase: a storage presentation case and a set of hair clips (including sectioning and wide clip styles).Cierra Cowan, PCMAG, 11 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Gratuitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gratuitous. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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