1
as in compassionate
having or marked by sympathy and consideration for others
a benevolent willingness to provide veterinary services to low-income families at greatly reduced prices
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in charitable
having or showing a concern for the welfare of others
a benevolent businessman who has donated money and time to helping inner-city youths
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of benevolent
And its acknowledged leader, the United States, was a remarkably benevolent hegemon.
—
Stacie E. Goddard, Foreign Affairs, 28 July 2025
New York’s benevolent liberalism of the Rockefeller years comes off as top-down benevolence, sociological benevolence, experience-free benevolence.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2025
Good starters are made up of the unique mix of benevolent dictator (someone has got to keep things moving), a maestro (there are a million different things at play; the starter gets them all to hopefully harmonize) and friend.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 10 July 2025
The act was sealed in a pronouncement by Princess Isabel, who became a President Lincoln-like figure in Brazil, known to many as the benevolent white liberator of the enslaved.
—Time, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for benevolent
Stacie E. Goddard, Foreign Affairs, 28 July 2025
New York’s benevolent liberalism of the Rockefeller years comes off as top-down benevolence, sociological benevolence, experience-free benevolence.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2025
Good starters are made up of the unique mix of benevolent dictator (someone has got to keep things moving), a maestro (there are a million different things at play; the starter gets them all to hopefully harmonize) and friend.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 10 July 2025
The act was sealed in a pronouncement by Princess Isabel, who became a President Lincoln-like figure in Brazil, known to many as the benevolent white liberator of the enslaved.
—Time, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for benevolent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for benevolent
Adjective
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The solution is compassionate directness—being honest while still showing care.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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Burg Simpson’s compassionate, experienced team learns more about potential clients’ unique circumstances and evaluates each case on its own individual facts.—
Sponsored Content,
Denver Post,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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By speaking to that deeper sense of meaning, small business owners can transform charitable intention into action, and in the process, strengthen both community impact and customer loyalty.—
Shane Enete,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
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Where a much less charitable filmmaker might frame the contradiction as a gotcha, Meeropol frames it as an evolution in thinking.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Asked about Trump's relationship with her and with Epstein, Maxwell said Trump was always kind and cordial with her.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
24 Aug. 2025
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Sweet, feisty, kind, smart, sensitive and spiritual.—
Natalia Senanayake,
People.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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And the event is completely philanthropic with millions raised so far for Virgin Unite, the National Tennis Foundation, and other impactful charities.—
Laurie Werner,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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The Morning Pointe Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Morning Pointe Senior Living founded by senior health care entrepreneurs Greg A. Vital and Franklin Farrow.—
Gabrielle Chenault,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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Even for Southern Baptists who aren’t sympathetic toward Hunt and Sills, the legal costs to fight those cases have led to an overall diminished appetite for implementing and funding certain reform.—
Liam Adams,
The Tennessean,
21 Aug. 2025
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Maggie Carney is a comic delight as Elizabeth, the household’s sympathetic but highly disciplined head housekeeper.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The man who brought in Lazlo, along with another feline, told the humane society the cats lived in a hotel with him.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
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While humane in principle, this approach has been challenging to implement effectively on a national scale.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Variety clocked the ovation at four minutes, while Deadline was more generous with six minutes and 20 seconds.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
31 Aug. 2025
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Gessner's invitation had been generous, and yet after meeting the woman last night following the event and finding her insufferable, Langdon now secretly hoped Katherine would oversleep and opt for breakfast with him instead.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Benevolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benevolent. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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