gratefully
/ˈɡreɪtfəli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡreɪtfəli/ (ame, ipa) · /-fəlē -li/ (ame, mw)
gratefully — adverb
1. doing or saying something with a warm feeling of thankfulness, usually when some
doing or saying something with a warm feeling of thankfulness, usually when someone has given you help, a gift, or a kind gesture that you did not expect.
Maeve gratefully accepted the scholarship that covered all her tuition fees.
gratefully + accept + concrete gift
The elderly woman smiled gratefully at Noa when he gave up his seat for her.
verb of gesture + gratefully + at [person]
Kabir gratefully acknowledged that his coworkers had rescued the project on his sick day.
Eshe gratefully received the warm blanket that the night nurse brought to her hospital bed.
After months of hard training, Christopher gratefully took the medal from the race official.
- thankfully
casual and multi-purpose; can also mean 'fortunately', which gratefully does not
- appreciatively
more formal; stresses recognising the value of what was received
- with gratitude
phrase; more formal and slightly old-fashioned in tone
- ungratefully
direct opposite; describes receiving without showing thanks or taking things for granted
- resentfully
receiving help but feeling bitter rather than thankful
文法句型
gratefully + verb (before main verb)
verb + gratefully (after linking or gesture verb)
gratefully + acknowledge/receive/accept + that-clause or direct object
用法筆記
Most naturally placed before the main verb ('gratefully accepted') or right after a verb of gesture or speech ('smiled gratefully', 'nodded gratefully'). Rarely used at the start of a sentence; doing so gives a noticeably literary tone.