Gratuitous example sentences
Related (11): unnecessary, unwarranted, unjustified, superfluous, excessive, unneeded, needless, unwanted, free, complimentary, unprovoked
"Gratuitous" Example Sentences
Common Phrases
- gratuitous violence
- gratuitous detail
- gratuitous assumption
- gratuitous comment
- gratuitous amount
- gratuitous insult
- gratuitous display
- gratuitous reference
- gratuitous use of
- entirely gratuitous
- purely gratuitous
- completely gratuitous
Examples by Level
A1
- That was a gratuitous insult and it hurt my feelings.
- The gratuitous amount of sugar in this drink is too much.
A2
- She made a gratuitous comment about my appearance that I didn't ask for.
- The movie had gratuitous violence that seemed pointless to the story.
B1
- The director's gratuitous use of special effects distracted from the actual plot.
- His gratuitous bragging about his salary made everyone at the table uncomfortable.
B2
- The article's gratuitous speculation about her personal life crossed an ethical line that responsible journalism shouldn't cross.
- She offered a gratuitous explanation of her choices that suggested she was defensive about decisions nobody had questioned.
C1
- The film's reliance on gratuitous shock value ultimately undermined what could have been a genuinely compelling narrative.
- His gratuitous references to his own accomplishments revealed an insecurity that no amount of boasting could conceal.
C2
- What struck her most was not the gratuitous nature of the violence itself, but the casual indifference with which it was presented — as though brutality required no justification.
- The author's gratuitous digressions into the minutiae of daily life, while occasionally illuminating, often felt like self-indulgent padding that tested even the most patient reader's tolerance.
Examples by Scenario
🏠 Everyday Life
- My neighbor made a gratuitous comment about my garden that I really didn't need to hear.
- The gratuitous amount of junk mail I get every week is absolutely ridiculous.
💼 Workplace
- His gratuitous criticism of her presentation in front of the whole team was unprofessional and unnecessary.
- The company's gratuitous dress code changes keep confusing everyone about what's actually required.
📊 Business
- The marketing campaign included gratuitous celebrity endorsements that didn't align with the brand's values.
- Our competitor's gratuitous price increases drove customers straight to us.
🛒 Buying / Shopping
- This phone has so many gratuitous features I'll never use — I just wanted something simple.
- The gratuitous packaging on this product is wasteful and makes me not want to buy from them again.
✈️ Travel
- The tour guide's gratuitous stories about his personal life made the trip feel longer than it was.
- The resort charged gratuitous fees for things that should have been included in the room rate.
📚 Education
- The teacher's gratuitous assignment of extra homework on Friday seemed designed to ruin everyone's weekend.
- The textbook included gratuitous historical details that weren't on the exam.
❤️ Relationships
- He brought up her ex in a gratuitous way that made the whole dinner awkward.
- She made a gratuitous dig at his appearance that he's probably still thinking about.
📰 News / Politics
- The news outlet's gratuitous focus on scandal over substance has eroded public trust.
- The politician's gratuitous attacks on his opponent's family crossed a line most people found distasteful.
💻 Technology
- This app has so many gratuitous ads that it's almost unusable.
- The software update added gratuitous features that nobody asked for and slowed everything down.
📝 Formal Writing
- The report's gratuitous use of jargon obscured rather than clarified the findings.
- Academic writing should avoid gratuitous citations that don't meaningfully support the argument.