as in talents
a special and usually inborn ability
it's a sin to waste one's God-given endowments
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Recent Examples of endowments
Pension funds, insurers and endowments that once treated the asset class as a niche alternative now see it as a long-term fixture of their portfolios.
—
Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 20 Jan. 2026
Consider Brazil, Canada and the United States — three large continental countries with long coastlines, deep interiors and abundant endowments of natural resources, including those for agriculture, mining, energy and forestry.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
While endowments don’t serve as a blank check, schools can still pull from them in times of need.
—Todd L. Pittinsky, The Conversation, 11 Dec. 2025
Collectively, the endowments of the eight most elite American universities come out to about $200 billion.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Though Swain has big plans, there has yet to be mass adoption by the traditional stalwarts of PE—the big pension funds, insurers, and endowments.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 1 Nov. 2025
With commodity prices at record highs, Africa’s natural resource endowments are among the first areas to receive attention.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
And unlike academics supported largely by tuition or endowments, HSPH researchers typically have had to bring in nearly all of their own research funds, including to cover their own salaries and those of staff and trainees.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
Universities should use endowments to weather potential federal grant losses rather than compromise academic independence.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 20 Jan. 2026
Consider Brazil, Canada and the United States — three large continental countries with long coastlines, deep interiors and abundant endowments of natural resources, including those for agriculture, mining, energy and forestry.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
While endowments don’t serve as a blank check, schools can still pull from them in times of need.
—Todd L. Pittinsky, The Conversation, 11 Dec. 2025
Collectively, the endowments of the eight most elite American universities come out to about $200 billion.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Though Swain has big plans, there has yet to be mass adoption by the traditional stalwarts of PE—the big pension funds, insurers, and endowments.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 1 Nov. 2025
With commodity prices at record highs, Africa’s natural resource endowments are among the first areas to receive attention.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
And unlike academics supported largely by tuition or endowments, HSPH researchers typically have had to bring in nearly all of their own research funds, including to cover their own salaries and those of staff and trainees.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
Universities should use endowments to weather potential federal grant losses rather than compromise academic independence.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for endowments
Noun
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That allows kids that do have more talents than the average student to move ahead faster, prepare for college and stuff, especially at the high school level.—
Alec Johnson,
jsonline.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Bryant’s athletic talents and drive are just some of the standout qualities that continue to inspire young generations of athletes.—
Monica Haider,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Seoul Central District Court sentenced Kim Keon Hee for receiving luxury gifts such as a Graff diamond necklace and a Chanel bag from the Unification Church in return for promises of political favors.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
South Korea’s anti-graft law bans public officials and their spouses from receiving gifts valued at more than $750 in connection with their public duties.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This model reflects Japan’s long-standing corporate culture, which prioritizes new hires for their general potential—their aptitudes and aspirations, as opposed to their current skill sets or university majors—and then trains them on the job.—
GRACIA LIU-FARRER,
Foreign Affairs,
18 Nov. 2025
-
More money is apt to make homeschooling worse and far less tailored to the individual student and their interests and aptitudes by encouraging parents to substitute pricey group programs for the requisite effort of individualized instruction.—
Marie Sapirie,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The former country farmhouse feel with shelves full of knick-knacks above the dining booths and mismatched coffee cups waiting on the tables has been replaced with more minimalist decor.—
Regina Elling,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Instead of looking sharp and functional, your room can turn into a museum of knick-knacks, half-finished books, and piles of blankets.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Endowments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/endowments. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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