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as in philanthropy
the giving of necessities and especially money to the needy after amassing a fortune in the computer industry, the brothers devoted themselves to charity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in contribution
a gift of money or its equivalent to a charity, humanitarian cause, or public institution donated his mansion and all of its land as a charity to the people of his beloved home state

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun charity differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of charity are clemency, grace, leniency, and mercy. While all these words mean "a disposition to show kindness or compassion," charity stresses benevolence and goodwill shown in broad understanding and tolerance of others.

show a little charity for the less fortunate

When is clemency a more appropriate choice than charity?

The meanings of clemency and charity largely overlap; however, clemency implies a mild or merciful disposition in one having the power or duty of punishing.

the judge refused to show clemency

When is it sensible to use grace instead of charity?

While in some cases nearly identical to charity, grace implies a benign attitude and a willingness to grant favors or make concessions.

by the grace of God

When can leniency be used instead of charity?

Although the words leniency and charity have much in common, leniency implies lack of severity in punishing.

criticized the courts for excessive leniency

When might mercy be a better fit than charity?

The synonyms mercy and charity are sometimes interchangeable, but mercy implies compassion that forbears punishing even when justice demands it.

threw himself on the mercy of the court

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of charity Having a positive impact on society is not a quick gimmick for charity days or to look good in a press release; working in this way can also drive financial performance and keep your workforce happy in the long term. David Morel, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 The celeb contestants spin the famous Wheel and solve puzzles for a chance to win $1 million for the charity of their choice. Denise Petski, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2025 This charity gala will feature live entertainment, music, and plenty of dancing. Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025 Stepping away from the charity will be a blow to the prince, as the project is particularly close to his heart. Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for charity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for charity
Noun
  • First, philanthropy remains critical, as many museums rely on the generosity of individual donors to serve visitors.
    Margi Glavovic Nothard, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Real estate offers powerful opportunities for philanthropy and social impact investing: • Affordable housing initiatives that provide stable housing for low-income families.
    DJ Van Keuren, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This festival is a nod to the Canada–Netherlands relationship and actually started when the Netherlands sent commemorative tulips to Canada as a gesture for their contributions to the liberation of the Netherlands during World War II as well as for hosting the Dutch royal family who were in exile.
    Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • His contribution to boxing and beyond will never be forgotten.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • My waking hours were at the mercy of the memoir, a moving account of the loss of her first child, Simone.
    Meg Zukin, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Cryptocurrency The crypto market remains at the mercy of overall market sentiment, swinging along with stocks on Trump's tariff whims However, business intelligence company Stratagy remains a buyer.
    Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Those include bullying, friendship, school, kindness/empathy, self-worth/confidence, and mental health/well-being.
    Liz Regalia, Parents, 20 Mar. 2025
  • The capital city of the world’s happiest country exemplifies what makes Finland such an ideal spot for happiness—not just focusing on health or wealth alone, Helsinki places emphasis on things like community, kindness, trust in society, and easy access to nature and green spaces.
    Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • There’s just something about this charming friendship that’s wildly heartwarming and authentic.
    Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The nation's capital boasts approximately 3,800 cherry trees near the National Mall, a century-old gift of friendship from the people of Japan.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 27 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • But privately, several lobbyists generally shrugged at the idea of limiting their own donations.
    Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2025
  • In one of those trends, content creators mock the hardships faced by Palestinian children in Gaza by pranking their parents or grandparents by pretending to represent a fictional humanitarian organization asking for donations for Palestinian children.
    Kara Fox, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • As for the tens of thousands of government employees fired or in limbo, Krygier doesn’t have much sympathy.
    Daniel de Visé, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Unsurprisingly, the anti-liberal counterrevolutionaries of today have no sympathy for this legacy.
    Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The 2025 World Happiness Report ranks more than 140 countries based on a number of factors, including life expectancy, freedom from corruption, and generosity.
    Passport by ForbesLife, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Several factors, including inequality, generosity, freedom, life expectancy and perceptions of corruption, all contribute to the rankings – but one question related to happiness is weighed heavily by researchers.
    Andrea Margolis, Fox News, 23 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Charity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charity. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.

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