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as in philanthropy
the giving of necessities and especially money to the needy after amassing a fortune in the computer industry, the brothers devoted themselves to charity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in contribution
a gift of money or its equivalent to a charity, humanitarian cause, or public institution donated his mansion and all of its land as a charity to the people of his beloved home state

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun charity differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of charity are clemency, grace, leniency, and mercy. While all these words mean "a disposition to show kindness or compassion," charity stresses benevolence and goodwill shown in broad understanding and tolerance of others.

show a little charity for the less fortunate

When is clemency a more appropriate choice than charity?

The meanings of clemency and charity largely overlap; however, clemency implies a mild or merciful disposition in one having the power or duty of punishing.

the judge refused to show clemency

When is it sensible to use grace instead of charity?

While in some cases nearly identical to charity, grace implies a benign attitude and a willingness to grant favors or make concessions.

by the grace of God

When can leniency be used instead of charity?

Although the words leniency and charity have much in common, leniency implies lack of severity in punishing.

criticized the courts for excessive leniency

When might mercy be a better fit than charity?

The synonyms mercy and charity are sometimes interchangeable, but mercy implies compassion that forbears punishing even when justice demands it.

threw himself on the mercy of the court

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 charity Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501(c)(3) public charity. Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 20 Apr. 2025 At a time when Christians are called upon to embrace Jesus’ message of love and charity, our president continues to revel in a cruelty that’s, well, biblical. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2025 Actor Andrew Shue at a charity soccer match with former NBA star Steve Nash in the background. Jay King, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025 Velvet’s widow Nancy Lee Abbey was both the guest of honor and an active participant, raising money for a musician’s charity at the merchandise table and communing with the hundreds of Velvet fans in attendance. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 12 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for charity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for charity
Noun
  • Last year, philanthropy accounted for 45% of the school’s revenue.
    Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Today’s Fiesta celebrates history and tradition, community, and philanthropy.
    Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • In recent years, Latinos have made strides in their contributions to the American economy via entrepreneurship.
    Lyanne Alfaro, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • The county had previously committed more than $760,000 to the project so the new allotment increased its total contribution to about $6 million.
    Richard Halstead, Mercury News, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Their operations and revenues remain at the mercy of uncontrollable natural forces.
    Guy Courtin, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Customers are at the mercy of electric companies that raised power prices 11% in 2022 and 2.5% in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s state electricity profiles.
    Andrew Carpenter, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • At the time of publication, the video of her efforts has been watched over 228,000 times, with users flocking to offer words of kindness in the comments section.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Becky’s independence, kindness, determination and beauty will live on through her forever.
    Becca Longmire, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • For now, Lynch and Valkyria are the two beloved babyfaces who can dominate the women’s tag team division and form a friendship.
    Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
  • This is a reminder of how much work went on behind the scenes to make Nostra Aetate possible — and the extent to which friendships between Catholic and Jewish communities in America still matter today.
    Joshua Stanton, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Over the past year, the project generated more than $200,000 for conservation efforts between streaming royalties and donations from individuals and institutions, according to UN Live.
    Claire Murashima, NPR, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Trump raised a record-breaking $239 million for his January inaugural events, with major donations from companies like Meta, Amazon and Nvidia but none from Musk or any of his companies.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Dutton's hardline rhetoric, including sympathy for Trump's style of politics and calls for closer ties with like-minded nationalist leaders, has unnerved moderate voters.
    Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr, issued a statement expressing sympathy with the victims and their families.
    ASSOCIATED PRESS, Time, 27 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • However, as costs continue to rise, ensuring the future of these festivals depends on the generosity of attendees.
    Pamela Maass, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The generosity of donors and volunteers filled him with gratitude.
    Amy Yurkanin, ProPublica, 15 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Charity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charity. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

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