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 With a passion for giving back, Royston is dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of millions through his charitable initiatives. —Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2024 Arlington Professional Fire Fighters has a 501c3 charitable organization through which tax-deductible donations can be made. —Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2024 Was Pye at least charitable enough to let them out after lunch? —K.j. Yossman, Variety, 29 Mar. 2024 The award is the charitable organization’s most prestigious honor and is presented those industry leaders who have made notable contributions to their community and profession. —Lars Brandle, Billboard, 29 Mar. 2024 At a clinic in Cambria County, Highlands Health provides free and charitable medical care. —Sarah Boden, NPR, 27 Mar. 2024 Mike Mulrooney is founder of Shirley’s Way Inc., a Louisville nonprofit that uses charitable gaming to raise money to help people with cancer. —Rebecca Grapevine, The Courier-Journal, 27 Mar. 2024 Its theme was that penny-ante contributions to local charitable institutions was as nothing, compared with the moral imperative to make as much money as one could, and then give it away. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024 The policy does not apply to sites operated by the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, a charitable organization. —Steve Leblanc, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'charitable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near charitable

charisticary

charitable

charitable gift

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Charitable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charitable. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

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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

More from Merriam-Webster on charitable

Nglish: Translation of charitable for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of charitable for Arabic Speakers

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