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
Yale Divinity School’s curriculum often prioritizes social justice over biblical exegesis, a shift that would likely dismay its benefactors.
—
The Rev. Jake Dell, Hartford Courant, 7 July 2025
The fact that their benefactor — and half-brother — was a lawyer and Congressman may have shielded them from a resurgent Ku Klux Klan and some of the worst treatment legalized by the Black Codes.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
The Whitneys were one of the wealthiest families of the Gilded Age, and were longtime benefactors of Long Lake.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 16 June 2025
While traditional fundraising models exhaust themselves in a linear exchange, Faena Group generates an ever-expanding sphere of influence, where each participant becomes both beneficiary and benefactor.
—Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
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The Rev. Jake Dell, Hartford Courant, 7 July 2025
The fact that their benefactor — and half-brother — was a lawyer and Congressman may have shielded them from a resurgent Ku Klux Klan and some of the worst treatment legalized by the Black Codes.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
The Whitneys were one of the wealthiest families of the Gilded Age, and were longtime benefactors of Long Lake.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 16 June 2025
While traditional fundraising models exhaust themselves in a linear exchange, Faena Group generates an ever-expanding sphere of influence, where each participant becomes both beneficiary and benefactor.
—Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 22 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 17 Jul. 2025.
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