1
as in compassionate
having or marked by sympathy and consideration for others
a benevolent willingness to provide veterinary services to low-income families at greatly reduced prices
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in charitable
having or showing a concern for the welfare of others
a benevolent businessman who has donated money and time to helping inner-city youths
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of benevolent
The Dowager Duchess believed that Goethe would help her teen-age son, the Duke, mature into a benevolent despot.
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Merve Emre, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Davison's Doctor was a lot more benevolent and was never scared to offer a helping hand, even in life-threatening moments.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 23 Nov. 2025
As the first film ends, Elphaba is seen parting ways with Glinda, the benevolent good witch played by Ariana Grande, and the decision to introduce trousers was made as her new environment required her to be more agile.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 21 Nov. 2025
Why would an otherwise capable and benevolent (if controlling) person like Mother Constance stoop not to just murder but murder by proxy?
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for benevolent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for benevolent
Adjective
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Stable housing, economic supports, safe communities, inclusive policies, supportive workplaces, and compassionate classrooms are not abstract ideals.—
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Vulnerable Chiron is rolling forward in your 10th House of Authority, prompting you to reshape your path by transforming past criticism into practical, compassionate leadership.—
Adjective
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Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio.—
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The donation, considered one of the largest charitable contributions ever made public, was made to Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation, which was started by Melinda in 2022.—
Adjective
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One reviewer noted ]that the supportive style was especially kind to their wide feet, high arches, and bunions.—
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Maybe some of the psychedelics and kind bud was replaced by Advil, Pepto and Ben Gay.—
Adjective
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The Archewell Foundation formally launched in late 2020, establishing the philanthropic pillar of their new life outside the royal fold.—
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The ship’s medical team will also provide support to isolated communities during its travels, and residents participate in philanthropic initiatives centered on conservation, education, and community development.—
Adjective
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Andrew begins to feel both sympathetic and longing for Millie and leaves Nina for the maid.—
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Although its questions framed the scandal with wording sympathetic to Republicans, the survey suggests the GOP sees an opening that could drag down Democrats.—
Adjective
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In the last few years, Betancur made three humanitarian trips to Bucha, Ukraine and raised funds for several initiatives with the support of the Charlotte community, including Myers Park United Methodist Church.—
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So, why is this country in the midst of one of the greatest humanitarian crises in modern history?—
Adjective
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According to Reuters, Russian authorities demanded the humane treatment and repatriation of the crew members.—
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Driven by principle, their disruptive actions bent institutions toward more humane and ethical practices – even as the menace adapted to survive.—
Adjective
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In the first half, the defensive activity and competitive spirit were far better against the league’s best team, a night after Miami came up woefully short in both of those areas against the league’s worst team.—
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Despite being given three power plays in the first, the B’s were not good at all on the man advantage.—
Cite this Entry
“Benevolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benevolent. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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