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
Others include cognitive empathy (accurately understanding a patient’s situation); communication skills (asking about patients’ lives and telling them our interpretations); and altruism (mobilizing these understandings for the patient’s benefit).
—
Rachel Pearson, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Forbes contributor Mark Travers writes that altruism in the workplace can go too far.
—Don Yaeger, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Almost all food recalls are made by the manufacturing company voluntarily, but not out of altruism.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
One XPrize Healthspan donor, Daniel Krizek, a biotech-fund manager who plans to invest a billion dollars in longevity, espouses the values of effective altruism.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for altruism
Rachel Pearson, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Forbes contributor Mark Travers writes that altruism in the workplace can go too far.
—Don Yaeger, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Almost all food recalls are made by the manufacturing company voluntarily, but not out of altruism.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
One XPrize Healthspan donor, Daniel Krizek, a biotech-fund manager who plans to invest a billion dollars in longevity, espouses the values of effective altruism.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for altruism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for altruism
Noun
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When Balistreri's Bluemound Inn posted the news on Facebook, customers and former employees replied to that posting with fond memories and praise for the restaurateur's warmth and generosity.—
Jim Higgins,
jsonline.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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Your generosity to his siblings in times of need has nothing to do with him.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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McQueen is getting in on the art deco centenary action, shooting its 2025 holiday campaign at Eltham Palace in southeast London, an architectural gem built in 1936 that now belongs to the charity English Heritage.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
21 Oct. 2025
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Its main benefit would be financial protection and the ability to pay for a large expense rather than be a charity care or bad debt patient.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Lebda’s impact extended beyond the business community, through philanthropy and other projects, such as serving as co-chairman of the 2020 Republican National Convention in Charlotte.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Oct. 2025
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The Florida International University graduate has worked for Google’s philanthropy arm for the past 13 years in disaster response and most recently disseminating grants across the Americas, but left his job earlier this month to hit the campaign trail full-time.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Altruism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altruism. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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