1
as in compassionate
having or marked by sympathy and consideration for others
a benevolent willingness to provide veterinary services to low-income families at greatly reduced prices
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in charitable
having or showing a concern for the welfare of others
a benevolent businessman who has donated money and time to helping inner-city youths
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of benevolent
In Thai Buddhist lore, these trees, thousands of which spike Koh Samui, are home to benevolent spirits, says political scientist Pavin Chachavalpongpun, from the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Japan’s Kyoto University.
—
Ronan O'Connell, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2025
He’s gone from the symbol of all things sane and benevolent to a violent dictator in the course of a month.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
Secret Societies and the Fight for Black Freedom Dating to the pre-Revolutionary era, mutual aid and benevolent societies supported Black Americans and the fight for civil rights and justice.
—JSTOR Daily, 20 Feb. 2025
Steves, with his impeccable recommendations, sensible budgeting options, and gently corny prose style, has served as the benevolent fairy godfather on more than one trip for me.
—Constance Grady, Vox, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for benevolent
Ronan O'Connell, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2025
He’s gone from the symbol of all things sane and benevolent to a violent dictator in the course of a month.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
Secret Societies and the Fight for Black Freedom Dating to the pre-Revolutionary era, mutual aid and benevolent societies supported Black Americans and the fight for civil rights and justice.
—JSTOR Daily, 20 Feb. 2025
Steves, with his impeccable recommendations, sensible budgeting options, and gently corny prose style, has served as the benevolent fairy godfather on more than one trip for me.
—Constance Grady, Vox, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for benevolent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for benevolent
Adjective
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Nancy Stanwood, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, said the organization is committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care to all patients.—
Katy Golvala,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2025
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What’s more, a child facing the same post-pandemic anxieties in such a district might encounter punitive measures rather than compassionate intervention.—
Elizabeth Austin,
Time,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2025
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By structuring a sale through a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT), business owners can reduce taxes, generate a lifetime income stream and ultimately leave a charitable legacy—while also ensuring their heirs receive an equivalent inheritance through life insurance.—
Jamie Farmer,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The long gap between seasons has not been kind to the show, which returned way down in the ratings this past fall.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2025
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Holly Marie Combs has nothing but kind words for the young Pretty Little Liars cast — and a couple of digs at her twentysomething self.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Rather than ‘doing good’ with a one-time injection of funds, this model allows philanthropic capital to regenerate over time.—
Chris Gallagher,
USA TODAY,
13 Feb. 2025
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The idea is simple: philanthropic capital can jump-start projects, and federal funding could eventually help scale it nationwide.—
Michael Sheldrick,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Shares in Newsmax, the cable TV news outlet known for its sympathetic coverage of Donald Trump, soared more than 700% on their first day of trading.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2025
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Since June, a group of American and Israeli-born Jews have been meeting every few weeks in New York for a salon-style series of talks that include the perspectives of Palestinians, and of Jews sympathetic to their cause.—
Andrew Silow-Carroll,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Did those societies became more humane or more resilient?—
Jaron Lanier,
The New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2025
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The humane society is in the mountain town of Boone, a roughly 85-mile drive west from Winston-Salem.—
Simone Jasper,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Laigueglia Parts of the Riviera di Ponente, or Western Riviera, offer sandy beaches, one of the many attractions of the town of Laigueglia, whose seafront extends for a generous three kilometers.—
Catherine Sabino,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
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Doing this to one of our closest allies, one always generous in aiding our defense and that sacrificed lives fighting for us, is outrageous.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Benevolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benevolent. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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