Synonym Chooser

How does the verb donate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of donate are afford, bestow, confer, give, and present. While all these words mean "to convey to another as a possession," donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

When is it sensible to use afford instead of donate?

The synonyms afford and donate are sometimes interchangeable, but afford implies a giving or bestowing usually as a natural or legitimate consequence of the character of the giver.

the trees afford shade
a development that affords us some hope

When could bestow be used to replace donate?

While the synonyms bestow and donate are close in meaning, bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

When would confer be a good substitute for donate?

The meanings of confer and donate largely overlap; however, confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

When might give be a better fit than donate?

In some situations, the words give and donate are roughly equivalent. However, give, the general term, is applicable to any passing over of anything by any means.

give alms
gave her a ride on a pony
give my love to your mother

Where would present be a reasonable alternative to donate?

Although the words present and donate have much in common, present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

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 donate In addition, the Second City, the Brooklyn comedy club, will donate 50% of proceeds from its show, Better Days with Petey DeAbreu, on March 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET to support Comic Relief US grantee partners providing relief efforts in LA. Jane Levere, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 The global streaming event, called A Bowie Celebration: Just For One Day! took place on what would've been Bowie's 74th birthday and donated proceeds from the show to Save the Children. Marina Watts, People.com, 27 Feb. 2025 The event is free, but registration is requested, with the option to donate. Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025 For example, 80 percent of all donated hearts in recent years went to patients sick enough to be hospitalized, records show. Brian M. Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for donate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for donate
Verb
  • Try volunteering at a soup kitchen, that should help.
    Katie Rife, IndieWire, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Additionally, people have been volunteering to retire early, and an LGBTQ+ employee resource group has been nixed, sources said.
    Maria Curi, Axios, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Further study is needed to identify the specific factors that influenced pregnant people to continue smoking or be exposed to SHS, and to understand the various factors that contribute to the risk of placental abruption associated with smoking and exposure to SHS during pregnancy.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Information for this article was contributed by Jacques Billeaud, John Seewer and Carla Johnson of The Associated Press.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 9 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Then again, perhaps the world of Goop is not so far away after all: In these pages, Marisa Meltzer looks at the longevity practices of Marina Abramović, who, with her workshops and serums, may well be giving Gwyneth Paltrow a run for her money.
    Sarah Douglas, ARTnews.com, 4 Mar. 2025
  • And, at least in international markets, being crowned with an Academy Award is already giving the film considerable boost.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 4 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Donate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/donate. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on donate

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