as in contribution
a gift of money or its equivalent to a charity, humanitarian cause, or public institution
the generous benefaction from an anonymous donor meant the animal shelter could stay open
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of benefaction
The benefaction of these private nonprofits eventually came to exceed, by a substantial margin, the money dispensed by the government, which has declined over time.
—
Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
The evening ended with the iconic funk band The Bar-Kays bringing everyone to the dance floor for a boogie to celebrate a night of benefaction.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 5 Mar. 2024
Clear thinking, unvarnished assessments, and reference to those timeless lessons: These are the benefactions that National Review Institute brings to the public square.
—Peter J. Travers, National Review, 30 Dec. 2023
All the same, today Alaska’s on-a-bun benefaction is a dog made with lean, delicately gamy reindeer.
—J. J. Goode, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2023
But the full scale of Crow’s benefactions has never been revealed.
—Propublica, Dallas News, 6 Apr. 2023
But the full scale of Crow’s benefactions has never been revealed.
—Joshua Kaplan, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2023
Its grand eighteenth-century buildings were dominated by the huge Codrington Library, named after the West Indian slave owner whose benefaction enriched his old college.
—Fara Dabhoiwala, The New York Review of Books, 1 July 2021
Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
The evening ended with the iconic funk band The Bar-Kays bringing everyone to the dance floor for a boogie to celebrate a night of benefaction.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 5 Mar. 2024
Clear thinking, unvarnished assessments, and reference to those timeless lessons: These are the benefactions that National Review Institute brings to the public square.
—Peter J. Travers, National Review, 30 Dec. 2023
All the same, today Alaska’s on-a-bun benefaction is a dog made with lean, delicately gamy reindeer.
—J. J. Goode, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2023
But the full scale of Crow’s benefactions has never been revealed.
—Propublica, Dallas News, 6 Apr. 2023
But the full scale of Crow’s benefactions has never been revealed.
—Joshua Kaplan, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2023
Its grand eighteenth-century buildings were dominated by the huge Codrington Library, named after the West Indian slave owner whose benefaction enriched his old college.
—Fara Dabhoiwala, The New York Review of Books, 1 July 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for benefaction
Noun
-
Denis Bouanga’s second hat trick in CONCACAF play and Son Heung-min’s four goal contributions (three assists) in his Champions Cup debut were among the many moments that prompted Burbara to view LAFC as if the club arrived from another dimension.—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
24 Feb. 2026
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That was a new position for Kelly, who accepted contributions from AIPAC’s PAC in March and April 2025, according to FEC filings.—
Joseph Strauss,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Batson has pulled in record philanthropic donations, including $50 million from Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank for a new national training center in Atlanta, and $30 million from Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang for women’s and girls’ programs.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
28 Feb. 2026
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Guthrie announced a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to her mother’s recovery, and a donation of $500,000 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Benefaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benefaction. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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