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
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.
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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
The industry is already seeing certain countries become huge benefactors of brands shifting production from one country to another.
—Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 27 Aug. 2025
Those are just some of the bribes Manhattan prosecutors allege Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Mayor Adams’ longtime political confidante, pocketed over a years-long period in exchange for doling out government favors to her benefactors, like city contracts and expedited building permits.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for benefactor
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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
The industry is already seeing certain countries become huge benefactors of brands shifting production from one country to another.
—Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 27 Aug. 2025
Those are just some of the bribes Manhattan prosecutors allege Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Mayor Adams’ longtime political confidante, pocketed over a years-long period in exchange for doling out government favors to her benefactors, like city contracts and expedited building permits.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 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 10 Sep. 2025.
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