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
With no ground to generate revenue, and limited gate receipts, Enfield FC rely on benefactors putting large sums of money into the club — not uncommon at this level.
—
Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
The cartoon continues to relish poking its corporate benefactors.
—Nick Marx, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025
As a tribute to the late philanthropist Joan Jacobs, the leading benefactor of the project along with her husband, Irwin Jacobs, The Joan will be the home of the Cygnet Theatre, San Diego’s third-largest theater company.
—Michelle Guerrero, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Occasionally, museums will work with benefactors to put up bids for their collections.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for benefactor
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Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
The cartoon continues to relish poking its corporate benefactors.
—Nick Marx, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025
As a tribute to the late philanthropist Joan Jacobs, the leading benefactor of the project along with her husband, Irwin Jacobs, The Joan will be the home of the Cygnet Theatre, San Diego’s third-largest theater company.
—Michelle Guerrero, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Occasionally, museums will work with benefactors to put up bids for their collections.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 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 18 Sep. 2025.
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