bequests

plural of bequest
as in inheritances
something that is or may be inherited left small bequests to all of her nieces and nephews

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 bequests Some conditions allowed by courts made bequests contingent on a beneficiary's being married, staying married, or being employed. — Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 To be sure, charitable bequests are also fully deductible against the estate tax, which means the destination (charity) is what erases Buffett’s tax liability. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 30 July 2026 While charitable donations did grow broadly in 2025, the giving categories the wealthiest Americans tend to favor – bequests, foundations, education, public-society benefit organizations – fared better than usual. — Jon Bergdoll, The Conversation, 23 June 2026 Three of the past four years have shown big growth in bequests, which may indicate that the great wealth transfer has begun. — ABC News, 23 June 2026 The opera filed a lawsuit Thursday alleging the Kennedy Center illegally took years' worth of donor gifts, bequests and endowment funds. — Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 12 June 2026 Flowers and lignin were helpful bequests from seagrass land ancestors. — David George Haskell, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026 Generally speaking, people shouldn’t be asking for bequests for themselves. — Liz Weston, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bequests
Noun
  • Ascherson’s writing about those inheritances offers insights into our own Trumpian, post-Brexit world of rising demagoguery and angry nationalism.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Still, younger generations shouldn’t expect a windfall from inheritances.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The Gordon Parks Foundation notes its efforts to reconnect with and reclaim the voices whose legacies played an important role in Parks’ career, well beyond his fame.
    — Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, these songs’ legacies reinforce that catalog music is big business.
    — Gary Trust, Billboard, 17 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bequests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bequests. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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