benefactor
noun
ben·e·fac·tor
ˈbe-nə-ˌfak-tər 
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A benefactor may be involved in almost any field. One may endow a scholarship fund; another may give money to expand a library; still another may leave a generous sum to a hospital in her will. The famous benefactions of John D. Rockefeller included the gifts that established the University of Chicago, the Rockefeller Foundation, and Rockefeller University. Many benefactors have reported that giving away their money turned out to be the most rewarding thing they ever did.
Examples of benefactor in a Sentence
With the help of a rich benefactor he set up a charity.
an anonymous benefactor gave the school a dozen new computers
Recent Examples on the Web
When the Ordway opened its doors in 1985, our chief benefactor and guiding spirit, Sally Ordway Irvine, had a vision to create a place where ALL the performing arts would be embraced and ALL members of the community would feel welcome.
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Christopher Harrington, Twin Cities, 29 May 2025
Lapid trades in indelicate satire for indelicate times — Y at one point literally and lavishly licks his wealthy benefactor’s gleaming knee-high boots — so these grisly verses at first seem a typically blunt caricature of Israeli nationalism at its most ruthless.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 May 2025
The four Friendship Benches being installed at Dogwood Park represent a meaningful marker in the life of their benefactor, Phoenix Bridegroom.
Phoenix, 19, decided to raise funds and have the benches built for her Gold Award project with the Girl Scouts.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
In lieu of a thank-you, Michael waits until his benefactor’s guard is down, assaults him, then steals his watch and pawns it.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for benefactor
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Christopher Harrington, Twin Cities, 29 May 2025
Lapid trades in indelicate satire for indelicate times — Y at one point literally and lavishly licks his wealthy benefactor’s gleaming knee-high boots — so these grisly verses at first seem a typically blunt caricature of Israeli nationalism at its most ruthless.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 May 2025
The four Friendship Benches being installed at Dogwood Park represent a meaningful marker in the life of their benefactor, Phoenix Bridegroom.
Phoenix, 19, decided to raise funds and have the benches built for her Gold Award project with the Girl Scouts.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
In lieu of a thank-you, Michael waits until his benefactor’s guard is down, assaults him, then steals his watch and pawns it.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for benefactor
Cite this Entry
“Benefactor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/benefactor. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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