gratuity
noun
gra·tu·i·ty
grə-ˈtü-ə-tē 
-ˈtyü-
plural gratuities
: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service
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Gratuity vs. Tip
Gratuity is a fancier and more formal word than tip. It occurs most often in written notices along the lines of "Gratuities accepted". Its formality makes it best suited for describing tips of the dignified, expensive variety. For the taxi driver who takes you to the superb Belgian restaurant, it's a tip; for the restaurant's maitre d', it's a gratuity.
Examples of gratuity in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The high court’s June 26 decision determined, among other matters, that the payment to Snyder from the Buha brothers, owners of Great Lakes Peterbilt, was a gratuity because Snyder received the money, reportedly for consulting work, after the business got the garbage truck contracts and not before.
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Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
Only seven states — Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington — have replaced tipped wages with universal pay floors, with gratuities as gravy on top.
—Maya Huter, NBC News, 1 Mar. 2025
While some believe tipping should be purely voluntary, many service industry workers depend on gratuities as their primary source of income.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 15 Feb. 2025
Among Trump’s 2024 campaign promises was a vow to make service industry gratuities and overtime pay nontaxable.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for gratuity
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Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
Only seven states — Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington — have replaced tipped wages with universal pay floors, with gratuities as gravy on top.
—Maya Huter, NBC News, 1 Mar. 2025
While some believe tipping should be purely voluntary, many service industry workers depend on gratuities as their primary source of income.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 15 Feb. 2025
Among Trump’s 2024 campaign promises was a vow to make service industry gratuities and overtime pay nontaxable.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for gratuity
Cite this Entry
“Gratuity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gratuity. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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