as in donors
a wealthy person who gives money and time to help make life better for other people
a philanthropist known to generously donate to those organizations that help the poor
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Recent Examples of philanthropists
The need for government to step into the shoes once filled by philanthropists like Agnes Gund becomes even more vital.
—
Gale Brewer, New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will overhaul a board charged with soliciting donations from the city’s wealthy philanthropists, naming new members with few ties to the private sector in a shift from prior administrations.
—Laura Nahmias, Bloomberg, 16 Apr. 2026
The panel was part of the Nexus Summit, which brings together the next generation of philanthropists, impact investors and social entrepreneurs, and was hosted by lawyer and philanthropist Amanda Smorgon.
—Helen Murphy, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
Upon returning to the United States from France, Jay got straight to work with the help of the Union League Club in New York to rally civic leaders, businessmen, artists, art collectors, and philanthropists.
—Claudia Williams, Architectural Digest, 16 Apr. 2026
Maybe there were other things Donovan could have tried; other sabers to rattle, other philanthropists to approach.
—Megan Molteni, STAT, 7 Apr. 2026
Unlike many high-society philanthropists, Sam’s descendants are not distant figures with their names on plaques.
—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
The organization has gotten a little assistance along the way from a pair of philanthropists.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
Government officials hosted an eclectic mix of wealthy philanthropists, alternative medicine influencers, health tech executives, and medical researchers to discuss a wide range of issues, from Lyme disease to gut health.
—Amanda Seitz, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Gale Brewer, New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will overhaul a board charged with soliciting donations from the city’s wealthy philanthropists, naming new members with few ties to the private sector in a shift from prior administrations.
—Laura Nahmias, Bloomberg, 16 Apr. 2026
The panel was part of the Nexus Summit, which brings together the next generation of philanthropists, impact investors and social entrepreneurs, and was hosted by lawyer and philanthropist Amanda Smorgon.
—Helen Murphy, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
Upon returning to the United States from France, Jay got straight to work with the help of the Union League Club in New York to rally civic leaders, businessmen, artists, art collectors, and philanthropists.
—Claudia Williams, Architectural Digest, 16 Apr. 2026
Maybe there were other things Donovan could have tried; other sabers to rattle, other philanthropists to approach.
—Megan Molteni, STAT, 7 Apr. 2026
Unlike many high-society philanthropists, Sam’s descendants are not distant figures with their names on plaques.
—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
The organization has gotten a little assistance along the way from a pair of philanthropists.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
Government officials hosted an eclectic mix of wealthy philanthropists, alternative medicine influencers, health tech executives, and medical researchers to discuss a wide range of issues, from Lyme disease to gut health.
—Amanda Seitz, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for philanthropists
Noun
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Shaw’s biggest donors have been conservative developer Don Oliphant, Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, Riverside County sheriff and Republican gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco, and business processing company Global Processing Systems.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2026
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What happened The Justice Department on Tuesday charged the Southern Poverty Law Center with financial crimes, accusing the civil rights organization of secretly paying informants in the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups without telling its donors.—
Peter Weber,
TheWeek,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and is privately operated by a corporation of just under 1,000 benefactors who have an endowment of over $2 billion.—
Claudia Williams,
Architectural Digest,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The benefactors, on the other hand, wore their wealth with ease.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That’s the gold standard of cancer designations that allows patients and donators alike to understand Sylvester’s standards.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Philanthropists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/philanthropists. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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