Definition of benefactionnext
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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 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 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
  • Members of other industry unions also get residuals, either directly — for SAG-AFTRA and the Directors Guild of America — or in the form of contributions to their pension and health funds, for IATSE and other below-the-line unions.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Still, his 2026 has been much closer to his old self, with positive defensive contributions and offensive stats more in line with his career averages.
    Ian Miller, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Lê Shackelford said the revenue generated at the store goes back to the vendors or helps fund the nonprofit’s efforts, which could not rely solely on grants and donations.
    Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Partners relied on federal, state, county and city funding and grants and sought private donations in an effort spearheaded by First 5 Solano.
    Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Benefaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benefaction. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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