Benevolence Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms benevolence American [buh-nev-uh-luhns] / bəˈnɛv ə ləns /

noun

1. desire to do good to others; goodwill; charitableness.

   to be filled with benevolence toward one's fellow creatures.

   Antonyms: malevolence

2. an act of kindness; a charitable gift.

   She bequeathed many benevolences from her vast fortune.

3. English History. a forced contribution to the sovereign.

benevolence British / bɪˈnɛvələns /

noun

1. inclination or tendency to help or do good to others; charity

2. an act of kindness

3. (in the Middle Ages) a forced loan or contribution exacted by English kings from their nobility and subjects

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• nonbenevolence noun
• superbenevolence noun
• unbenevolence noun

Etymology

Origin of benevolence

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin benevolentia; benevolent, -ence

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In fact, the creature possesses an instinctive benevolence, which is corrupted by rejection.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It became pretty clear that there were strings attached to his benevolence,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal

This is not to say that “Wicked” was some noble emblem of blockbuster benevolence.

From Salon

It analyzes the forces of corruption and moral probity, capitalism and benevolence—all the rich contradictions and absurdities of the world glimpsed in Jane Austen’s novels.

From The Wall Street Journal

It’s a kind of moral laundering, where so-called benevolence masks self-interest.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• benefaction
• benignity
• compassion
• good nature
• good will
• goodwill
• kindheartedness
• kindliness
• kindness
• tenderness

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.