thankless

thankless
    adj 1: not feeling or showing gratitude; "ungrateful heirs";
           "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is / To have a
           thankless child!"- Shakespeare [syn: {ungrateful},
           {thankless}, {unthankful}] [ant: {grateful}, {thankful}]
    2: not likely to be rewarded; "grading papers is a thankless
       task" [syn: {thankless}, {unappreciated}, {ungratifying}]
    

Thankless \Thank"less\, a.
   1. Not acknowledging favors; not expressing thankfulness;
      unthankful; ungrateful.
      [1913 Webster]

            That she may feel
            How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
            To have a thankless child!            --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Not obtaining or deserving thanks; unacceptable; as, a
      thankless task.
      [1913 Webster]

            To shepherd thankless, but by thieves that love the
            night allowed.                        --Chapman.
      [1913 Webster] -- {Thank"less*ly}, adv. --
      {Thank"less*ness}, n.
      [1913 Webster]
    

59 Moby Thesaurus words for "thankless":
      bitter, bootless, careless, despised, disagreeable, dislikable,
      disliked, displeasing, distasteful, fruitless, futile, heedless,
      lowly, miserable, misprized, misunderstood, out of favor,
      profitless, self-centered, sour, thoughtless, ugly, unacknowledged,
      unalluring, unappealing, unappetizing, unappreciated,
      unappreciative, unattractive, uncared-for, undelectable,
      undelicious, undesirable, unengaging, unenjoyable, ungrateful,
      uninviting, unlamented, unlikable, unmindful, unmissed, unmourned,
      unpalatable, unpleasant, unpleasing, unpopular, unprofitable,
      unregretted, unrequited, unrewarding, unsavory, unsung, untasteful,
      unthankful, unvalued, unwelcome, useless, vain, wretched