Synonym Chooser

How does the verb donate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of donate are afford, bestow, confer, give, and present. While all these words mean "to convey to another as a possession," donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

When is it sensible to use afford instead of donate?

The synonyms afford and donate are sometimes interchangeable, but afford implies a giving or bestowing usually as a natural or legitimate consequence of the character of the giver.

the trees afford shade
a development that affords us some hope

When could bestow be used to replace donate?

While the synonyms bestow and donate are close in meaning, bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

When would confer be a good substitute for donate?

The meanings of confer and donate largely overlap; however, confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

When might give be a better fit than donate?

In some situations, the words give and donate are roughly equivalent. However, give, the general term, is applicable to any passing over of anything by any means.

give alms
gave her a ride on a pony
give my love to your mother

Where would present be a reasonable alternative to donate?

Although the words present and donate have much in common, present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

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 donate While not everyone has artistic skills to paint a mural, there are many ways to support your local shelter without donating money. Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025 As part of the Fresh Coat Cares initiative (which helps to cover labor costs and more), the Sterns are donating their time and resources to repaint the facility interior, to help ensure a better training experience for young athletes in the community. Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2025 The others were donated by political parties or paid for by outside fundraising. Mead Gruver, The Denver Post, 25 Mar. 2025 In 2022, Musk's foundation donated $160 million, which was over $200 million less than the law required to make the seed donations tax-deductible. Emily Blackwood, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for donate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for donate
Verb
  • Other Reddit users agreed with the theory and offered their own idea that Gemma may have volunteered her body to Lumon for experimentation.
    Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 21 Mar. 2025
  • These workers were among the 21,000 civilians at the Defense Department who volunteered for the program.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Too often, even luxury hotels contribute to that feeling—offering flashy opulence but leaving little room for true rest, connection, or meaning.
    Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
  • The new bill has been forwarded to a parliamentary committee for deliberation on the percentages to be contributed.
    Compiled by Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Both the city’s ad hoc committee on the 2028 Olympic Games and the full council gave its approval this week to several venue changes, including shifting equestrian events from the Valley to Temecula.
    Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Delegating is about giving your employees a time to learn, to grow, to shine and to expand while also helping to lighten your load and achieve organizational goals.
    Terina Allen, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

More from Merriam-Webster on donate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!