telethon
noun
tele·thon
ˈte-lə-ˌthän 
: a long television program usually to solicit funds especially for a charity
Examples of telethon in a Sentence
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As the whole business dragged on, the atmosphere started to seem less like a game show and more like the late-night Jerry Lewis telethons of the 1970s, in which a tired but pumped Lewis alternately griped at the audience, broke into maudlin emotion, or jumped up to welcome a new guest.
—
Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
In the world of sports, Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify and race in the Indy 500 as several drivers cemented their legacies, IU basketball had a legendary undefeated season, Market Square Arena opened and the Pacers held a telethon to save the franchise.
—Joe Mutascio, IndyStar, 10 Feb. 2026
The Emmy-winning host ended last season with a telethon auctioning off weird memorabilia from previous episodes of the show.
—Peter White, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
The lights are on and the studio is buzzing at Plum High School, where students are spending Monday and Tuesday hosting a 12-hour telethon to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
—Jessica Riley, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
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Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
In the world of sports, Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify and race in the Indy 500 as several drivers cemented their legacies, IU basketball had a legendary undefeated season, Market Square Arena opened and the Pacers held a telethon to save the franchise.
—Joe Mutascio, IndyStar, 10 Feb. 2026
The Emmy-winning host ended last season with a telethon auctioning off weird memorabilia from previous episodes of the show.
—Peter White, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
The lights are on and the studio is buzzing at Plum High School, where students are spending Monday and Tuesday hosting a 12-hour telethon to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
—Jessica Riley, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for telethon
Cite this Entry
“Telethon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/telethon. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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telethon
noun
tele·thon
ˈtel-ə-ˌthän
: a long television program usually to raise funds for a charity
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