ungracious

IPA/ʌnˈɡreɪʃəs/
IPA/ʌnˈɡreɪʃəs/

ungracious — adjective

  • ungraciouspositive
  • more ungraciouscomparative
  • most ungracioussuperlative

1. behaving in a rude or cold way, especially after someone has tried to help, welc

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

behaving in a rude or cold way, especially after someone has tried to help, welcome, or praise you

Example

It was ungracious of Wei to mock the host after the free meal.

it is ungracious of + person + to-infinitive

Karim gave an ungracious shrug when his aunt offered him a ride home.

Common collocations
  • an ungracious reply
  • an ungracious remark
  • an ungracious tone
  • an ungracious gesture
  • be ungracious to someone
  • seem ungracious
  • sound ungracious
Synonyms
  • rude

    the broad everyday term; more common and less tied to a bad response to kindness

  • discourteous

    more formal; often used in complaints or official descriptions of bad manners

  • curt

    focuses on a short, sharp manner rather than the wider lack of warmth

Antonyms
  • gracious

    the direct opposite; warm, polite, and considerate in manner

  • courteous

    polite in a more formal, careful way

  • warm

    stresses friendliness and kindness rather than manners alone

Grammar Patterns

be ungracious to + person

it is ungracious of + person + to-infinitive

ungracious + noun (reply / remark / tone / gesture)

Usage Note

Often describes a reaction, tone, or remark more than a person's whole character. It is especially common when someone answers kindness, praise, or hospitality in a cold or ill-mannered way.

Common Mistakes

He felt ungracious for the gift.
He felt ungrateful for the gift.
'ungracious' describes rude behaviour or tone, not the feeling of owing thanks.
The waiter was ungracious with us.
The waiter was ungracious to us.
this adjective usually takes 'to' before the person receiving the rude behaviour.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Ungracious is a relatively formal word for a response that feels rude, chilly, and especially out of place after someone has offered kindness or praise. Rude is the broad everyday choice and fits many kinds of bad manners, even when no kindness is involved. Discourteous is more formal and often appears in complaints or official writing. Ungrateful is close, but it focuses on a failure to feel or show thanks rather than on the tone of the behaviour itself. Cold can describe low warmth without clearly suggesting a breach of manners. For example: 'Her ungracious reply embarrassed the host.' vs. 'The customer was rude to the cashier.' vs. 'He seemed ungrateful for the support.'

ungracious ↗rude ↗discourteous ↗ungrateful ↗cold ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • an ungracious reply
  • an ungracious remark
  • an ungracious tone

Adverbs

  • rather ungracious
  • openly ungracious
  • surprisingly ungracious

Phrases

  • seem ungracious
  • sound ungracious
  • come across as ungracious

Prepositions

  • ungracious to (someone)
  • ungracious of (someone) to do something

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Built in English from the negative prefix 'un-' and gracious. Gracious came through Old French from Latin gratia, a word linked to favor, thanks, and kindness. Ungracious therefore developed the sense of lacking the grace or consideration expected in a polite response.

First known use

13th century

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1