Definition of dolenext
as in philanthropy
the giving of necessities and especially money to the needy a millionaire who was known for his annual Christmas dole to needy-looking strangers he met on the street

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 dole Residents also grew frustrated, as migrants reluctantly snared in endless court proceedings appeared to be gaming the system and living off the taxpayers’ dole. Julia Preston, Foreign Affairs, 25 Oct. 2024 The author of that piece criticized the Social Security Administration for not updating a listing of jobs that benefit applicants might be able to do instead of going on the government dole collecting disability benefits. Tom Margenau, Dallas News, 29 Jan. 2023 As recently as 2017, a dole of about 100 baby loggerhead turtles emerged from their eggs and began their journey from the sand to the sea on Assateague Island National Seashore. Kristian Jaime, Baltimore Sun, 25 July 2022 As with other American officials feted in Azerbaijan on the regime’s dole, Cuellar routinely stumped for Azeri oil interests—helping the regime profit that much further. Casey Michel, The New Republic, 26 Jan. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dole
Noun
  • Yet Parton masterfully stayed out of every fight in the culture wars, preaching love, philanthropy, mentorship and tolerance until her dying breath.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • She was also widely admired for her philanthropy including her Imagination Library program, which has gifted more than 300 million books to children across the world over 31 years.
    Joey Garrison, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Do not state that the charity the person has chosen is low on your list of priorities.
    Abigail Van Buren, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • On the eve of their media frenzied MSG wedding, which Parton was invited to but did not attend, Swift and the NFL vet gave millions to 20 charities across the nation.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • National Dog Day isn’t just about celebrating dogs, it’s also focused on promoting canine adoption and welfare to ensure that all dogs live happy, safe, and abuse-free.
    Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The state closes 15 percent of welfare cases annually for procedural reasons.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dole.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dole. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on dole

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster