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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His is a work of coming to terms with the odds, surviving them, and doing so with grace, radiance, generosity, and spirit.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
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He was touched and impressed, assuming that would be the weight of her generosity.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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All of it goes to charities ranging from youth support services to cancer treatment.—
Brandon Truitt,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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That will allow charities to offer more and bigger grill packs, and thicker, fancier steaks, while funding local youth sports teams and other causes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Hastings will leave the company he co-founded to focus on philanthropy and other efforts, the streaming company announced said Thursday.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
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That flexibility is rare in philanthropy, where major gifts often come loaded with restrictions, reporting requirements, and donor oversight.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Altruism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altruism. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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