fundraiser

noun

fund·​rais·​er ˈfənd-ˌrā-zər How to pronounce fundraiser (audio)
variants or less commonly fund-raiser
plural fundraisers also fund-raisers
1
: a person employed to raise funds (as for an institution or political cause)
a talented fundraiser
… hired not only for his popularity with the other scientists but for his proven abilities as a fundraiser.James Shreeve
2
: a social event (such as a cocktail party) held for the purpose of raising funds
… he gained recognition by throwing a posh fundraiser for President Jimmy Carter.James Ridgeway

Examples of fundraiser 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.
The fundraiser has collected over $12,000 so far. Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025 Complicating Kishida’s rule were several scandals, including one in which LDP members were found underreporting and misallocating money from fundraisers, and another involving his son hosting a private party at the official Prime Minister residence. Chad De Guzman, Time, 8 Sep. 2025 The board includes former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, longtime adviser Steve Ricchetti, prolific Democratic fundraiser Rufus Gifford and others with deep ties to the president and his wife. Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2025 Chris Evans, shaggy of hair and beard, plays a down-on-his-luck movie star, Mike Tyler, who is trying to rehab his image by attending a swanky environmental fundraiser on a remote Greek island. Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025 The gala, which is an annual fundraiser supporting TIFF‘s core mission of cinema’s transformative power in real life, honored the outstanding impact of leading industry members. Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025 There's also footage of the two performing together at Christmas concerts fundraisers for Asbury Park, New Jersey. Mike Snider, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025 The fundraiser has so far raised $55,000 in donations towards the funeral for Maxwell and grievance therapy costs, with a goal of $60,000. Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025 As of Friday afternoon, the fundraiser had brought in just over $50,000. Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fundraiser was in 1881

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Cite this Entry

“Fundraiser.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fundraiser. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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