as in generosity
feelings and behavior that show a desire to help other people and a lack of selfishness
charitable acts motivated purely by altruism In one final act of altruism, she donated almost all of her money to the hospital.
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Recent Examples of altruism
Yet Salk’s greatest act of altruism may have been his decision not to patent the vaccine.
—
Gerald Joyce, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2025
In fact, a study my team published in August 2024 with adults over 50 with hoarding disorder suggests that altruism, a personality trait of wanting to help others, may explain why some people keep items that others might discard.
—Mary E. Dozier, CNN, 16 Mar. 2025
Compared with the general population, participants with hoarding disorder scored almost universally high on altruism.
—Mary E. Dozier, CNN, 16 Mar. 2025
To survive, vampire bats practice reciprocal altruism, sharing regurgitated blood with starving roost-mates—a rare and complex social behavior in the animal kingdom.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for altruism
Gerald Joyce, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2025
In fact, a study my team published in August 2024 with adults over 50 with hoarding disorder suggests that altruism, a personality trait of wanting to help others, may explain why some people keep items that others might discard.
—Mary E. Dozier, CNN, 16 Mar. 2025
Compared with the general population, participants with hoarding disorder scored almost universally high on altruism.
—Mary E. Dozier, CNN, 16 Mar. 2025
To survive, vampire bats practice reciprocal altruism, sharing regurgitated blood with starving roost-mates—a rare and complex social behavior in the animal kingdom.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for altruism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for altruism
Noun
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And both Harrison and Pierce share a sort of commitment to their craft — professionalism, generosity on set.—
Ashley Hume , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2025
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Neuroscience shows that generosity activates reward centers in the brain.—
Matthew Scogin,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2025
Noun
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Collier finished with 34 points on 12-of-21 shooting from the floor and 8-of-8 shooting from the charity stripe, while Williams notched 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the field and 3-of-3 foul shooting, plus nine dimes.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 May 2025
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Since big donors to charities would get less of a tax benefit from their gifts, some say the change could reduce giving, at least on the margin.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
16 May 2025
Noun
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Nearly 25% of youths under the age of 18 live in poverty, with rates exceeding 90% in some neighborhoods, according to a report released this year by the venture philanthropy A Better Chicago.—
Tio Hardiman,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2025
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Bombas is a strong example of a brand that has integrated philanthropy into its business model in a way that feels natural.—
Anthony Conversa,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Altruism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altruism. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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