Gratuitous

Practice This Word

Unnecessary or unwarranted; done without good reason; also, provided or given free of charge.

adjective

Gratuitous

Unnecessary or unwarranted; done without good reason; also, provided or given free of charge.

adjective

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Imagine This

Picture a movie poster that screams 'Gratuitous Violence' with nonstop explosions that exist only to shock, not to advance the plot.

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Sounds Like

gruh-TOO-i-tuhs

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Looks Like

Related to gratis/free; shares the root with gratis and gratitude.

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Remember This

Gratuitous comes from Latin gratuitus meaning free or given freely; in modern usage it often means uncalled-for or excessive rather than simply free of charge.

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Other Forms

gratuitouslyadverb

gratuitousnessnoun

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Connect With

unnecessary, unwarranted, superfluous, needless, extraneous

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Note

Do not confuse with gratis (free of charge). In everyday usage, gratuitous almost always implies something unwarranted or excessive, especially in contexts like violence or commentary.

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Study Deeper

Examples

The film was criticized for its gratuitous violence.
The hotel offered gratuitous services, such as complimentary breakfast and spa access.

Synonyms

unnecessaryunwarrantedsuperfluousexcessiveneedless

Antonyms

necessaryessentialjustifiedwarranted

Etymology

From Latin gratuitus 'free, given freely', from gratis 'free', related to gratus 'pleasing' and gratia 'grace, favor'.

Mnemonic

Think gratis (free) inside GRATUITOUS: something gratuitous is either free of charge or, more often, unnecessary. Imagine free samples handed out for no good reason—gratuitous indeed.

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