Synonyms of charity

charity

noun

ˈcher-ə-tē 

1

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

• philanthropy
• almsgiving
• dole
• welfare
• donation
• contribution
• humanism
• altruism
• humanitarianism
• alms
• benefaction
• goodwill
• do-gooding
• grant
• benevolence
• beneficence
• do-goodism
• endowment
• fund
• subsidy
• relief

2

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

• contribution
• donation
• alms
• philanthropy
• offering
• benefaction
• assistance
• grant
• beneficence
• welfare
• legacy
• endowment
• bequest
• subsidy
• aid
• tithe
• presentation
• relief
• present
• dole
• benevolence
• handout
• bestowal
• largesse

3

as in mercy

kind, gentle, or compassionate treatment especially towards someone who is undeserving of it

can't you show a little charity to a guy who's the first to admit he's not perfect?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mercy
• mercifulness
• empathy
• compassion
• kindness
• sympathy
• clemency
• leniency
• forbearance
• grace
• generosity
• quarter
• goodness
• philanthropy
• lenience
• pity
• lenity
• humanitarianism
• tenderness
• love
• understanding
• affection
• goodwill
• benevolence
• altruism
• worship
• devotion
• magnanimity
• gentleness
• meekness
• care
• softness
• nobility
• kindliness
• favor
• humaneness
• mildness
• niceness
• commiseration

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• revenge
• vengeance
• retaliation
• retribution
• cruelty
• violence
• ruthlessness
• punishment
• reprisal
• discipline
• hatred
• vindictiveness
• virulence
• uncharitableness
• spite
• venom
• brutality
• barbarity
• sadism
• vitriol
• atrocity
• savagery
• hate
• requital
• malice
• viciousness
• wantonness
• mercilessness
• hostility
• truculence
• malignancy
• castigation
• abhorrence
• pitilessness
• loathing
• savageness
• chastisement
• meanness
• abomination
• detestation
• scolding
• hard-heartedness
• jealousy
• malevolence
• animosity
• enmity
• antagonism
• spleen
• resentment
• malignity
• antipathy
• maliciousness
• grudge
• bile
• execration
• bitterness
• gall
• nastiness
• pique
• rancor
• jaundice
• spitefulness
• hardness
• roughness
• harshness
• coarseness
• cattiness
• invidiousness
• hatefulness

4

as in kindness

the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune

his charity is such that he's a sucker for every panhandler's tale of woe

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kindness
• sympathy
• compassion
• heart
• generosity
• mercy
• pity
• humanity
• feeling
• feelings
• kindliness
• ruth
• sensitivity
• commiseration
• kindheartedness
• responsiveness
• good-heartedness
• warmheartedness
• love
• largeheartedness
• softheartedness
• affection
• regard
• bigheartedness
• philanthropy
• empathy
• sensibility
• altruism
• goodwill
• humanitarianism
• benevolence
• affinity
• humanism
• rapport
• humaneness
• benignity
• benignancy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• indifference
• inhumanity
• cruelty
• coldness
• disinterest
• callousness
• unconcern
• hatred
• mercilessness
• coldheartedness
• pitilessness
• hostility
• inhumanness
• hard-heartedness
• animosity
• harshness
• dislike
• antipathy

5

as in friendship

kindly concern, interest, or support

Lincoln's famous promise that the period of Reconstruction would be marked by "charity for all"

Synonyms & Similar Words

• friendship
• generosity
• goodwill
• benevolence
• kindness
• brotherhood
• friendliness
• neighborliness
• amity
• good-fellowship
• community
• kindliness
• cordiality
• fellowship
• harmony
• cordialness
• companionship
• camaraderie
• comradeship
• tolerance
• company
• sympathy
• empathy
• gemütlichkeit
• philanthropy
• bonhomie
• collegiality
• concord
• altruism
• comity
• rapport
• communion
• rapprochement
• civility
• selflessness
• affinity
• unselfishness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ill will
• intolerance
• malevolence
• venom
• hatred
• hostility
• malice
• hate
• antagonism
• animosity
• enmity
• antipathy
• disfavor
• rancor
• incivility
• belligerency
• quarrelsomeness
• querulousness

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

Recent Examples of charity

The proceeds from the payout will go to charity. —Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026

Smith died suddenly on Saturday after delivering pizza to a charity. —Deena Zaru, ABC News, 16 June 2026

Smith died Saturday hours after delivering pizzas to a homeless charity in the San Francisco Bay area. —Josh Dubow, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026

Smith was found Saturday by friend Amir Shirazi, slumped over in Shirazi’s car shortly after the two spent the morning delivering pizzas to a Bay Area homeless charity. —Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 16 June 2026