Synonyms of munificent

munificent

adjective

myu̇-ˈni-fə-sənt 

as in generous

giving or sharing in abundance and without hesitation

a munificent host who has presided over many charitable events at his mansion

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective munificent contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of munificent are bountiful, generous, and liberal. While all these words mean "giving or given freely and unstintingly," munificent suggests a scale of giving appropriate to lords or princes.

a munificent foundation grant

When can bountiful be used instead of munificent?

The meanings of bountiful and munificent largely overlap; however, bountiful suggests lavish, unremitting giving or providing.

children spoiled by bountiful presents

When is it sensible to use generous instead of munificent?

Although the words generous and munificent have much in common, generous stresses warmhearted readiness to give more than size or importance of the gift.

a generous offer of help

In what contexts can liberal take the place of munificent?

The words liberal and munificent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, liberal suggests openhandedness in the giver and largeness in the thing or amount given.

a teacher liberal with her praise

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of munificent

The munificent monetary prize of a million dollars will go a long way to help establish the show’s importance. —Khushbu Shah, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Oct. 2025

Swift danced her way through 149 sets in 22 countries and thanked her crew with munificent bonuses totaling $197 million. —Bryan West, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025

The white middle class absconded to the suburbs in droves, seriously depleting a once munificent tax base. —Evan Kindley, The New Republic, 1 Aug. 2023

Testing these munificent vehicles took us not only to DaimlerChrysler's proving grounds but also to our beloved collection of paved curves, whoop-de-dos, and foot-to-the-floor straightaways in southeastern Ohio's Hocking Hills. —Don Schroeder, Car and Driver, 3 Jan. 2023

Carla had no plausible explanation as to why Gianni should have been so munificent. —Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 7 Nov. 2022

More significantly, Rolling Stone wrote a critical piece about country singer Morgan Wallen, reminiscent of Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold’s Pulitzer-winning investigations of Donald Trump’s claims of his munificent charitable donations. —Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2021

It’s become popular—even knee-jerk—to write off the difficulty businesses face finding workers as people staying at home, probably sitting around in their underwear, enjoying the munificent benefits unemployment brings. —Erik Sherman, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2021

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!