Synonyms of altruism

altruism

noun

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.

Related Words

• generosity
• charity
• philanthropy
• kindness
• magnanimity
• nobility
• humanitarianism
• selflessness
• leniency
• empathy
• mercy
• forbearance
• clemency
• unselfishness
• sympathy
• mercifulness
• understanding
• pity
• compassion
• lenience
• benevolence
• lenity
• goodwill
• goodness
• quarter
• grace
• gentleness
• tenderness
• meekness
• civility
• softness
• kindliness
• devotion
• humaneness
• worship
• favor
• affection
• niceness
• love
• mildness
• commiseration
• care

Dissimilar Words

• selfishness
• greed
• ruthlessness
• revenge
• vengeance
• retaliation
• retribution
• cruelty
• violence
• virulence
• punishment
• vindictiveness
• sadism
• hatred
• brutality
• savagery
• reprisal
• venom
• discipline
• mercilessness
• uncharitableness
• barbarity
• spite
• viciousness
• pitilessness
• vitriol
• malice
• incivility
• requital
• truculence
• atrocity
• hate
• hard-heartedness
• jealousy
• hostility
• savageness
• wantonness
• antagonism
• malevolence
• meanness
• loathing
• abhorrence
• malignancy
• scolding
• animosity
• resentment
• spleen
• enmity
• maliciousness
• castigation
• antipathy
• abomination
• chastisement
• malignity
• detestation
• ill will
• bitterness
• bile
• nastiness
• grudge
• execration
• pique
• jaundice
• gall
• rancor
• spitefulness
• hardness
• roughness
• harshness
• coarseness
• cattiness
• invidiousness
• hatefulness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of altruism

Carol is alternately enchanted and frustrated by her husband’s innocence and altruism, which led him to his not particularly remunerative career as an interpreter. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 July 2026

But perhaps this multibillion-dollar industry has become too reliant on doctors’ altruism, Swarup posits. — Tara Bannow, STAT, 13 July 2026

Biblical scholar Bart Ehrman contends that our modern sense of altruism can be traced back to the radical shift in ethical thinking sparked by Jesus' teachings. — Big Think, 26 Mar. 2026

Trefethen led a similar portfolio at the philanthropic organization, Coefficient Giving, which is a major funder of the effective altruism community that has sometimes clashed with OpenAI’s vision for artificial intelligence. — Thalia Beaty, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!