: a polite expression of one's gratitude

Examples of thank-you in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In 2005, Rutgers professor Jeannette Haviland-Jones sent out three different thank-you gifts—a candle, a fruit basket, and a floral bouquet—to over 100 women who had recently participated in one of her psychological studies. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2025 Follow up after meetings with a thank-you note or a message summarising key takeaways, which reinforces the relationship. Andrew Fennell, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025 Richards sent Michaels a thank-you note, on stationery from a Jamaica hotel. Jillian Sederholm, EW.com, 18 Feb. 2025 Stepping Into the Pressure Cooker That hair spray bottle is among the keepsakes in Ms. Matthews’s office on the 17th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, alongside a thank-you note from Stevie Nicks and a large framed photo of the rapper Jack Harlow with a stick-on mustache. Callie Holtermann, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for thank-you

Word History

Etymology

from the phrase thank you used in expressing gratitude

First Known Use

1792, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thank-you was in 1792

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Cite this Entry

“Thank-you.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thank-you. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

thank-you

noun
ˈthaŋ-ˌkyü
: a polite expression of one's gratitude
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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