1
as in kindness
an act of kind assistance
self-effacing as well as selfless, he refused all public acknowledgement of his many benevolences to the community
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in friendship
kindly concern, interest, or support
her benevolence towards her employees was such that she actually let one live in her home temporarily
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tenderness
sympathetic concern for the well-being of others
an actress who was admired for her benevolence as for her beauty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 benevolence
Food insecurity met the generosity of North Texas benevolence.
—
Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2025
But their power, knowledge, and benevolence are always limited, whereas God’s are maximal by definition.
—JSTOR Daily, 13 Nov. 2025
The Andante cantabile offers benevolence tinged with shadow, its harmonies turning suddenly ominous.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
To have denied his parents the ability to protect him from persecution would be a cruelty; to have offered them an affordable alternative, a form of benevolence.
—Chandler Fritz, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for benevolence
Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2025
But their power, knowledge, and benevolence are always limited, whereas God’s are maximal by definition.
—JSTOR Daily, 13 Nov. 2025
The Andante cantabile offers benevolence tinged with shadow, its harmonies turning suddenly ominous.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
To have denied his parents the ability to protect him from persecution would be a cruelty; to have offered them an affordable alternative, a form of benevolence.
—Chandler Fritz, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for benevolence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for benevolence
Noun
-
For months afterward, kindness arrived in unexpected forms — neighbors bringing food, strangers offering furniture, friends calling daily.—
Jonathan Taplin,
Rolling Stone,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Does their lack of kindness grant you permission to respond with equal insensitivity or even cruelty?—
Michael Isaacson,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Every friendship goes through seasons.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Trevor is, of course, waiting for him there, and their friendship develops through a series of adventures that feel authentic to the characters and setting.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But anyone willing to consider the thicket of fears, affections and recriminations that grows through the cracks of a long relationship will find in these pages an almost unbearable tenderness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Let tenderness lead, and safety should grow organically.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Dealing with competition from smaller personal computers, IBM’s business model began turning to services and software instead.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Prosecutors have accused them of civil rights violations for disrupting the Cities Church service.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The strained awkwardness of Adelina and Alban’s gestures of generosity underscore the class disparity between the city dwellers and their relatives.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Hunter echoes that sentiment, pointing to Donna’s professional success and generosity of spirit.—
Dawn Klavon,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Moreover, Southern plantation owners carried out a robust propaganda effort to extol the beneficence of their economic system.—
Gerry Lanosga,
The Conversation,
17 Nov. 2025
-
Trump’s pardon beneficence has also shone on former House Republicans in Southern California, notably a pair who each once represented parts of the San Diego area.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But for your prayers and his mercy.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Grant me ruthless access to the psychological image, discomfortable mercy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The service From the smiles that greet travellers at the front door to the housekeepers, restaurant staff, and pool attendants, there’s a sense of friendliness here that cascades down from the effortlessly charming general manager, Pep Lozano.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Its sustainability efforts go beyond basic nods to eco-friendliness.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Benevolence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benevolence. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
