charitable

adjective

char·​i·​ta·​ble ˈcher-ə-tə-bəl How to pronounce charitable (audio)
ˈcha-rə-
Synonyms of charitablenext
1
: full of love for and goodwill toward others : benevolent
2
a
: liberal in benefactions to the needy : generous
b
: of or relating to charity
charitable institutions
3
: merciful or kind in judging others : lenient
charitableness noun
charitably
ˈcher-ə-tə-blē How to pronounce charitable (audio)
ˈcha-rə-
adverb

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of charitable in a Sentence

She makes a charitable donation every year. He performs charitable work to help the poor. They give money to charitable causes. She has tried to be charitable about her sister's problems. Half of the class has a chance at passing the test, and that is a charitable estimate.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In addition, Brace will be barred from participating in Kansas charitable organizations in the future. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 4 Aug. 2025 Dairy Queen also encourages fans to share photos of their charitable treats on social media with the hashtag #MiracleTreatDay. — Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 1 Aug. 2025 Publicly available 990 forms show that Kraft was not paid a salary in recent years as head of his family’s charitable foundation. — Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 1 Aug. 2025 She was mocked on TikTok for her tone during the commercial, some accusing her of acting too sultry for a campaign that would benefit a mental health support line and nods to the charitable cause of domestic violence awareness. — Sam Woodward, USA Today, 31 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for charitable

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of charitable was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing charitable

Rhymes for charitable

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Browse Nearby Words

charisticary
charitable
charitable gift
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Charitable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charitable. Accessed 11 Aug. 2025.

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Kids Definition

charitable

adjective
char·​i·​ta·​ble ˈchar-ət-ə-bəl How to pronounce charitable (audio)
1
: freely giving money or help to poor and needy persons : generous
2
: given for the needy : of service to the needy
charitable funds
a charitable institution
3
: kindly in judging other people
charitableness noun
charitably
-blē How to pronounce charitable (audio)
adverb

Legal Definition

charitable

adjective
char·​i·​ta·​ble
: of or relating to charity
charitable contributions

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Nglish: Translation of charitable for Spanish Speakers

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