Ingratitude can be frustrating and disappointing, especially when you’ve put in effort and kindness. Understanding idioms that capture this lack of appreciation can help articulate these feelings better. Here are 20 idioms that describe ingratitude, each with a brief meaning and an example sentence.
1. Bite the Hand that Feeds You
Meaning: Show ingratitude
Example: Despite his mentor’s support, he bit the hand that fed him by badmouthing her.
2. Kick Someone When They’re Down
Meaning: Exploit weakness
Example: Criticizing him now feels like kicking him when he’s down.
3. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Meaning: Good acts get penalized
Example: Helping her move only led to complaints; no good deed goes unpunished.
4. Thankless Task
Meaning: Unappreciated effort
Example: Cleaning up after the party was a thankless task.
5. Throw Under the Bus
Meaning: Betray
Example: He threw his colleague under the bus to save himself.
6. Cold Shoulder
Meaning: Ignore
Example: She gave me the cold shoulder after all my help.
7. Stab in the Back
Meaning: Betrayal
Example: His gossiping was a real stab in the back.
8. Take for Granted
Meaning: Fail to appreciate
Example: He took her help for granted and never thanked her.
9. Turn a Blind Eye
Meaning: Ignore wrongdoing
Example: He turned a blind eye to all the help he received.
10. Burn Bridges
Meaning: Destroy relationships
Example: Quitting abruptly burned bridges with his team.
11. Kick in the Teeth
Meaning: Harsh rebuff
Example: His refusal felt like a kick in the teeth after all my efforts.
12. A Thankless Job
Meaning: Unrewarding work
Example: Managing the project was a thankless job.
13. Smite with the Tongue
Meaning: Harsh criticism
Example: Her harsh words smote him with the tongue despite his efforts.
14. Spit in the Face
Meaning: Show disrespect
Example: Complaining about the gift was like spitting in my face.
15. Pay Back in Spades
Meaning: Return favor negatively
Example: He helped her, but she paid him back in spades with criticism.
16. Thankless Endeavor
Meaning: Unrewarding task
Example: Volunteering felt like a thankless endeavor.
17. Kick to the Curb
Meaning: Discard
Example: After all my support, he kicked me to the curb.
18. Throw to the Wolves
Meaning: Abandon to danger
Example: He threw his friend to the wolves to save himself.
19. Cold as Ice
Meaning: Unfeeling
Example: Her reaction to my help was cold as ice.
20. Turn Your Back On
Meaning: Abandon
Example: He turned his back on those who supported him.
