1
as in free
not costing or charging anything
A local veterinary technician provides gratuitous services to the animal shelter twice a month.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gratuitous
Related Stories The result is a passably diverting curio that remains on the level of juvenile fantasy adventure, but with gratuitous elements inappropriate for younger viewers.
—
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 2 May 2025
Pop Step is fantastic and has a great personality, but she's introduced with gratuitous shots of her rear, and her body is talked about far too much even in the first episode.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Unlike Grey’s, though, The Pitt doesn’t treat us to gratuitous shots of Dr. Robby answering doors shirtless or hooking up with interns.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2025
Both of these aspects set the tone for the raw carnage that would be reproduced in Doom Eternal (2020), a solid sequel that doubled down on the gratuitous bloodletting and amped up the industrial sound of the Doom (2016) OST to a new level.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gratuitous
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 2 May 2025
Pop Step is fantastic and has a great personality, but she's introduced with gratuitous shots of her rear, and her body is talked about far too much even in the first episode.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Unlike Grey’s, though, The Pitt doesn’t treat us to gratuitous shots of Dr. Robby answering doors shirtless or hooking up with interns.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2025
Both of these aspects set the tone for the raw carnage that would be reproduced in Doom Eternal (2020), a solid sequel that doubled down on the gratuitous bloodletting and amped up the industrial sound of the Doom (2016) OST to a new level.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gratuitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gratuitous
Adjective
-
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.—
Meredith Wilshere,
People.com,
8 June 2025
-
Mazda said dealers will replace the dynamic stability control unit for free.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
Without a clear roadmap, friendship breakups often feel ambiguous, or sometimes lead to unnecessary hurt.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
-
In the heat of the battle, in the exchange of firing and shooting, there was sometimes a reckless reaction, disproportionate, which may have caused unnecessary victims, but not killing for the sake of killing.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
Place the basil leaves (and optional lemon zest) into a clean glass jar.—
Claudia Alarcón,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
-
Inside the cozy cockpit, leather, burl wood, and side curtains with sliding plastic windows take the driver back many decades to a time when radios were an optional nuisance—all that mattered was the vehicle and the road.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Amidst the lavish suites and outdoor pools, visitors can immerse themselves in vast swathes of tropical rainforest biome, with complimentary bicycles available to aid in exploration.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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Loyalty program benefits — including priority boarding, complimentary access to preferred seats and same-day standby/switch — will be available to customers traveling on the other airline.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gratuitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gratuitous. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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