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.
Brian Ach/Invision/AP All the while, Reiner was one of the film industry's most passionate Democrat activists, regularly hosting fundraisers and campaigning for liberal issues. CBS News, 15 Dec. 2025 Now, more than $36,000 has been amassed through a fundraiser on GoFundMe to support the new mother. Tevon Blair, Essence, 12 Dec. 2025 Maitland called for a new fundraiser to plant a replacement tree. Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025 The Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin Charitable Foundation has started a fundraiser for Diener's family and with assisting Haen and Betts with medical and recovery-related needs. David Clarey, jsonline.com, 12 Dec. 2025 The number of Americans turning to fundraisers to cope with the cost of rent, groceries and other essentials surged in 2025, according to GoFundMe’s annual review. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025 The number of fundraisers started to help cover essential expenses such as rent, utilities and groceries jumped 20%, according to the company’s 2025 review, after already quadrupling last year. James Pollard, Fortune, 10 Dec. 2025 The Met Gala — a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art that also serves as a celebration of its spring Costume Institute exhibition — also revealed today that Saint Laurent’s Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz are set as co-chairs of the 2026 Met Gala host committee. Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 10 Dec. 2025 That is a far cry from the first fundraiser for the Costume Institute, which was held in November 1948 with approximately 700 guests each paying $50 to attend. Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 10 Dec. 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 16 Dec. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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