do-gooder

noun

do-good·​er ˈdü-ˌgu̇-dər How to pronounce do-gooder (audio)
Synonyms of do-goodernext
: an earnest often naive humanitarian or reformer
do-gooding noun or adjective

Examples of do-gooder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
As one of the top do-gooders for a company devoted to good deeds, Altman said he is blessed to be able to branch beyond career and corporate goals to something more substantive. Greg Mellen, Oc Register, 28 Nov. 2025 Resist pressure Scammers who pose as charitable do-gooders often demand immediate payment, while legitimate charities are happy to get a donation at any time. Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 24 Nov. 2025 Just behind Wicked: For Good are two more high-flying do-gooders, Superman ($220 mil) and The Fantastic Four: First Steps ($218 mil). Bethy Squires, Vulture, 23 Nov. 2025 Onscreen, Evans’s Mike Tyler instead takes a more self-destructive route — at times, equal parts hilarious and harrowing — preoccupied by his public image and being perceived as a righteous do-gooder. Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for do-gooder

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of do-gooder was in 1925

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Cite this Entry

“Do-gooder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/do-gooder. Accessed 12 Dec. 2025.

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