Thanksgiving
n.kind, joyfulformal
What it means
The act or expression of heartfelt gratitude.
Reach for it when naming gratitude offered solemnly, communally, or with spiritual significance
The reopening ceremony began with thanksgiving for everyone who had protected the library's collection.
Choose between these
6- everyday
when a direct and familiar expression fits
not when Thanks is lighter and lacks the ceremonial weight of thanksgiving.
- warm
when the feeling itself matters more than its public expression
not when Gratitude can remain private, while thanksgiving is gratitude actively given voice.
- warm
when a settled state of being grateful is central
not when Thankfulness names an inner quality rather than an act of acknowledgment.
- professional
when contributions need explicit public recognition
not when Acknowledgment can be factual and need not convey gratitude.
- professional
when recognizing value or effort should sound measured
not when Appreciation may be evaluative without the deep indebtedness suggested here.
- literary
when a prayer of thanks before a meal is specifically intended
not when Grace is religiously narrower and has many unrelated meanings.
Said against
3- ingratitude
- resentment
- thanklessness
It naturally appears in
3- prayer of thanksgiving
A prayer of thanksgiving honored the farmers after the first harvest.
- day of thanksgiving
The town observed a day of thanksgiving when the missing crew returned.
- offer thanksgiving
Families gathered to offer thanksgiving for the restored peace.
Where this comes from
- Wiktionary, English noun sense: the expression of gratitude, especially to God opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.