telethon
noun
tele·thon
ˈte-lə-ˌthän 
: a long television program usually to solicit funds especially for a charity
Examples of telethon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Over the course of 19 previous telethons, the CBS Philadelphia Telethon has raised more than $70 million.
—
Cbs News Philadelphia Staff, CBS News, 3 June 2026
In 1986, Whoopi Goldberg famously hosted the first Comic Relief telethon to raise money for America’s homeless population.
—Jessica Jacolbe, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Festival exclusive events include Night of Too Many Stars — a stand-up, variety, and music telethon to benefit NEXT for Autism — hosted by Jon Stewart, a taping of Nate Bargatze’s upcoming Netflix comedy special, and a Shane Gillis and Friends event at the Hollywood Bowl.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 20 Mar. 2026
As the whole business dragged on, the atmosphere started to seem less like a game show and more like the late-night Jerry Lewis telethons of the 1970s, in which a tired but pumped Lewis alternately griped at the audience, broke into maudlin emotion, or jumped up to welcome a new guest.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for telethon
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Cbs News Philadelphia Staff, CBS News, 3 June 2026
In 1986, Whoopi Goldberg famously hosted the first Comic Relief telethon to raise money for America’s homeless population.
—Jessica Jacolbe, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Festival exclusive events include Night of Too Many Stars — a stand-up, variety, and music telethon to benefit NEXT for Autism — hosted by Jon Stewart, a taping of Nate Bargatze’s upcoming Netflix comedy special, and a Shane Gillis and Friends event at the Hollywood Bowl.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 20 Mar. 2026
As the whole business dragged on, the atmosphere started to seem less like a game show and more like the late-night Jerry Lewis telethons of the 1970s, in which a tired but pumped Lewis alternately griped at the audience, broke into maudlin emotion, or jumped up to welcome a new guest.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for telethon
Cite this Entry
“Telethon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/telethon. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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telethon
noun
tele·thon
ˈtel-ə-ˌthän
: a long television program usually to raise funds for a charity
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