benefactor

noun ben·e·fac·tor \ ˈbe-nə-ˌfak-tər \

|Updated on: 2 Aug 2018

Examples: benefactor in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of benefactor

: someone or something that provides help or an advantage : one that confers a benefit

a benefactor of humankind

; especially : a person who makes a gift or bequest

His endowments … placed him high among the benefactors of the convent.
—Jane Austen

a wealthy benefactor

See benefactor defined for English-language learners

See benefactor defined for kids

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 of benefactor from the Web

It was donated by arts benefactor Ford Kiene earlier this year with the requirement that the Rogers Kiene Building be used for arts purposes for at least 20 years.

— ryan gillespie, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Orlando City Council OK's Downtown Arts District's move to historic Rogers Kiene Building," 25 June 2018
Brookline Town strips name of slave owner from school The Edward Devotion School will no longer honor the memory of a local 18th century benefactor and slave owner after Town Meeting members voted overwhelmingly Tuesday night to rename the school.

— BostonGlobe.com, "New England news in brief," 30 May 2018
The college is typical in depending on a combination of tuition and state and local support, with grants from foundations and gifts from local benefactors coming in to support specific initiatives.

— marcella bombardieri, The Atlantic, "One College's Struggle to Get Poor Students Through School," 30 May 2018
The biological sciences building was, until this week, named after Ayala, its benefactor.

— katie langin, Science | AAAS, "Top stories: cycling and climate change, hidden pharma payments, and cursing surgeons," 6 July 2018
Nominees typically don't make promises to presidents or senators, at least not in public, and justices have often ruled differently from the bench than their White House benefactors expected.

— jay willis, GQ, "Why Justice Kennedy’s Retirement Is Even Worse Than You Think," 27 June 2018
And if their benefactors here are actually trying to harm the country?

— chris stirewalt, Fox News, "Like Bush and Obama, Trump gets stuck on immigration," 21 June 2018
But Egypt’s social media users and influential talk show anchors are notorious for harming their country’s relations with foreign nations, including close allies and major economic benefactors.

— Washington Post, "World Cup Russia 2018 newsletter," 18 June 2018
Photo: Martin Mejia/Associated Press The U.S., Colombia’s closest ally and benefactor, is sure to welcome Mr. Duque’s win.

— juan forero and daniela ramirez, WSJ, "Pro-Business Ivan Duque Wins Colombian Presidency," 17 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'benefactor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

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.