Meaning & use
gratuitous
Last updated
given or done without good reason; uncalled for, especially something unpleasantly excessive.
See it in a sentence
Critics called the film's violence gratuitous and unnecessary to the plot.
She resented his gratuitous comments about her appearance.
A note on using this word
Almost always used negatively, especially to criticize excessive violence, nudity, or insults added for shock value rather than purpose.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
justifiedwarranted
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