altruistic
adjective
al·tru·is·tic
ˌal-trü-ˈi-stik 
: relating to or given to altruism:
a
: having or showing an unselfish concern for the welfare of others
altruistic acts/motives
a generous and altruistic person
Yet many of the most important institutions in our society—the fine arts, NGOs, humanitarian charities—depend on the generosity of wealthy citizens with altruistic impulses.—
Jonathan Kay
Jonathan Kay
b
: relating to or being behavior by an animal that is not beneficial to or may be harmful to the animal itself but that benefits others of its species
The evolutionary theory of kin selection requires that social animals recognize their relatives so that altruistic behavior can be displayed preferentially toward kin.—Science
Science
altruistically
adverb
… one of the first researchers to begin to solve the paradox of how the evolutionary struggle to survive and reproduce could give rise to creatures that never reproduce and spend their lives altruistically helping others to survive.
—Carol Kaesuk Yoon
Carol Kaesuk Yoon
Examples of altruistic in a Sentence
I'm not being altruistic in giving you these books, since I was going to have to lug them with me if you hadn't come along
Recent Examples on the Web
However, the deeper motivations driving Musk’s involvement are unlikely to be purely altruistic.
—Allison Stanger, The Conversation, 7 Feb. 2025
Sweeping changes to companies DEI efforts impact local businesses 02:06
Corporate DEI programs aren't altruistic, experts emphasize, pointing to at least some empirical evidence showing that such efforts can help companies adapt to change, support innovation and even boost the bottom line.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2025
Hamilton’s Rule has been used to explain altruistic behavior in animals, as well as humans.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024
Did the dog rescue the person for an altruistic reason, or did the assistance come from a place of self-interest?
—Claire Cameron, Outside Online, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for altruistic
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.
Allison Stanger, The Conversation, 7 Feb. 2025
Sweeping changes to companies DEI efforts impact local businesses 02:06
Corporate DEI programs aren't altruistic, experts emphasize, pointing to at least some empirical evidence showing that such efforts can help companies adapt to change, support innovation and even boost the bottom line.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2025
Hamilton’s Rule has been used to explain altruistic behavior in animals, as well as humans.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024
Did the dog rescue the person for an altruistic reason, or did the assistance come from a place of self-interest?
—Claire Cameron, Outside Online, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for altruistic
Cite this Entry
“Altruistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/altruistic. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share