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
Providing service to others seems like a good cure for what ails us today — a true lack of altruism and looking out for each other regardless of race, gender or religion, etc.
—
Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Advertisement The company has deep roots in effective altruism (EA), a social and philanthropic movement dedicated to using reason to do the most good, including by averting catastrophe.
—Harry Booth, Time, 11 Mar. 2026
Whether the motivations are development, altruism, returns or security, there is a role and reward for putting energy and resources into this effort.
—Ajaypal Banga, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2026
The Terms of Service of Anthropic’s defective altruism will never outweigh the safety, the readiness, or the lives of American troops on the battlefield.
—Tina Nguyen, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for altruism
Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Advertisement The company has deep roots in effective altruism (EA), a social and philanthropic movement dedicated to using reason to do the most good, including by averting catastrophe.
—Harry Booth, Time, 11 Mar. 2026
Whether the motivations are development, altruism, returns or security, there is a role and reward for putting energy and resources into this effort.
—Ajaypal Banga, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2026
The Terms of Service of Anthropic’s defective altruism will never outweigh the safety, the readiness, or the lives of American troops on the battlefield.
—Tina Nguyen, The Verge, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for altruism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for altruism
Noun
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As part of a long-standing initiative to grow local philanthropy, Big Day of Giving is a 24-hour giving challenge that encourages the generosity of small and large donations to the organizations that provide support for the area’s most vulnerable communities.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
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Build something sturdy enough that generosity becomes a choice rather than a sacrifice.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Essential worker roles include healthcare positions, teachers, military members, fire and police officers, charity workers, social workers, government employees, supermarket staff, and delivery and transport staff.—
Jamie Spain,
Condé Nast Traveler,
13 May 2026
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But during that period, Hunger Busters received hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants from high-profile charities including the Mavs Foundation and the State Fair of Texas.—
Andrea Lucia,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Urrea, a professor of creative writing, is among 252 leaders in academia, the arts, industry, journalism, philanthropy, policy, research and science elected in 2026, a university news release said.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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Miami’s business and lifestyle news spans gun policy, soccer tourism, billionaire real estate and celebrity philanthropy.—
Jeff Kleinman,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Altruism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altruism. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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