Synonyms of generous

generous

adjective

ˈje-nə-rəs 

1

as in charitable

giving or sharing in abundance and without hesitation

a civic leader who is very generous with his money and time

Synonyms & Similar Words

• charitable
• liberal
• benevolent
• bountiful
• handsome
• munificent
• open
• unselfish
• bounteous
• compassionate
• kind
• fulsome
• unstinting
• hospitable
• unsparing
• openhanded
• kindly
• bighearted
• lavish
• free
• sympathetic
• philanthropic
• humanitarian
• extravagant
• magnanimous
• freehanded
• big
• altruistic
• profuse
• overgenerous
• freehearted
• beneficent
• openhearted
• good-hearted
• largehearted
• greathearted
• samaritan

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ungenerous
• stingy
• selfish
• small
• parsimonious
• miserly
• cheap
• uncharitable
• tightfisted
• tight
• close
• penurious
• petty
• illiberal
• costive
• mean
• thrifty
• frugal
• spare
• sparing
• mingy
• chary
• closefisted
• stinting
• avaricious
• desirous
• covetous
• acquisitive
• avid
• rapacious
• envious
• mercenary
• grudging
• resentful
• begrudging
• itchy
• grasping
• hoggish
• stinting
• coveting

2

as in plentiful

being more than enough without being excessive

mashed potatoes with a generous serving of butter

Synonyms & Similar Words

• plentiful
• ample
• plenty
• abundant
• enough
• bountiful
• sufficient
• bounteous
• adequate
• comfortable
• liberal
• plenteous
• all kinds of
• extra
• rich
• wealthy
• thick on the ground
• aplenty
• lavish
• cornucopian
• surplus
• plump
• prolific
• galore
• copious
• overflowing
• fruitful
• fertile
• supernumerary
• prodigal
• replete
• fecund
• fulsome
• blooming
• profuse
• abounding
• teeming
• rife
• luxuriant
• fat

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• minimal
• inadequate
• insufficient
• scant
• spare
• lacking
• bare
• meager
• deficient
• wanting
• least
• small
• minimum
• stingy
• light
• slight
• skimpy
• sterile
• unproductive
• barren
• infertile
• unfruitful

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective generous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of generous are bountiful, liberal, and munificent. While all these words mean "giving or given freely and unstintingly," generous stresses warmhearted readiness to give more than size or importance of the gift.

a generous offer of help

Where would bountiful be a reasonable alternative to generous?

The synonyms bountiful and generous are sometimes interchangeable, but bountiful suggests lavish, unremitting giving or providing.

children spoiled by bountiful presents

When might liberal be a better fit than generous?

In some situations, the words liberal and generous are roughly equivalent. However, liberal suggests openhandedness in the giver and largeness in the thing or amount given.

a teacher liberal with her praise

When is munificent a more appropriate choice than generous?

The words munificent and generous can be used in similar contexts, but munificent suggests a scale of giving appropriate to lords or princes.

a munificent foundation grant

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of generous

This area hosts a bed built on top of a wooden platform containing generous storage. —New Atlas, 22 May 2026

Vlachos was a funny and generous player, helpful around camp. —Shaan Merchant, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026

Like many of the island’s residents, fortysomething Silvia makes a modest living harvesting and selling the seaweed deposited on the beach by churning, generous waters. —Guy Lodge, Variety, 20 May 2026

Transfer shrimp to a large plate or platter and spoon a generous amount of chimichurri over. —Inés Anguiano, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 May 2026