do-gooder

noun

do-good·​er ˈdü-ˌgu̇-dər How to pronounce do-gooder (audio)
Synonyms of do-goodernext
: an earnest often naive humanitarian or reformer
do-gooding noun or adjective

Examples of do-gooder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Then one of the crew met a man named Chris, a do-gooder in the community who lost his home to an electrical fire last year. Amy Eskind, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026 Gleeson’s casual menace and black sense of humor make for an ideal foil to Cage’s quip-cracking do-gooder. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 May 2026 In addition, the extreme naïveté of the Spanish do-gooder lawyer is an out-of-place cliché in a film whose cinematic potency and multifaceted performances testify to Marrakchi’s strengths. Jay Weissberg, Variety, 19 May 2026 Amazon is searching for more unsuspecting do-gooders after renewing comedy Jury Duty for a third season. Peter White, Deadline, 11 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for do-gooder

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of do-gooder was in 1925

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Cite this Entry

“Do-gooder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/do-gooder. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.

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