generous
Americanadjective
-
liberal in giving or sharing; unselfish: a generous gift.
a generous patron of the arts;
a generous gift.
- Synonyms:
- free, openhanded
- Antonyms:
- selfish
-
free from meanness or smallness of mind or character; magnanimous.
- Synonyms:
- big, noble, high-minded
- Antonyms:
- mean
-
a generous portion of pie.
- Antonyms:
- meager
-
rich or strong in flavor.
a generous wine.
-
generous soil.
- Synonyms:
- fruitful
- Antonyms:
- barren
adjective
-
willing and liberal in giving away one's money, time, etc; munificent
-
free from pettiness in character and mind
-
full or plentiful
a generous portion
-
(of wine) rich in alcohol
-
(of a soil type) fertile
Synonym Usage
Generous, charitable, liberal, bountiful, munificent all describe persons who give to others something of value, or the acts of such persons. Generous stresses the warm and sympathetic nature of the giver: a generous gift; generous in praise of the work of others. Charitable places stress on both the goodness and kindness of the giver and the indigence or need of the receiver: charitable assistance to people in need; a charitable person, always willing to help those less fortunate than herself. Liberal, in this connection, emphasizes the size of the gift, the largesse and openhandedness of the giver: a liberal contribution to the endowment fund. Bountiful implies effusive, unstinted giving and a sense of abundance or plenty: bountiful and unrestricted support for the museum; a bountiful return for his efforts. Munificent refers to gifts or awards so large and striking as to evoke amazement or admiration: a life income, a truly munificent reward for his loyalty; a munificent contribution, larger by far than any other.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of generous
First recorded in 1570–80; from Middle French genereux, genereus “magnanimous,” and Latin generōsus “of noble birth, excellent,” equivalent to gener- ( see gender 2) + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
Generous people are the ones who give more than is expected of them. It's generous of your friend to take the couch and let you sleep in the bed when you stay over at her place. She didn't have to do that. When you decide to go one step beyond what's expected of you, you're being generous. A generous helping of food is a bigger than expected scoop of mashed potatoes. A generous teacher is one who volunteers to stay after school to help you with your homework. Be generous yourself: don't forget the letter o when you spell the word generous. Just think of it as a generous act, throwing that extra letter in there.
Vocabulary lists containing generous
Positive Words to Describe a Person
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'Tis The Season: Words For Giving
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Positive Adjectives to Describe People
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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.
He helped negotiate the contract in the year 2000, then known as the industry’s most generous ever.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
I’ve come to think of it as a practical, action-oriented cousin of intuitive eating, a framework I find genuinely generous but occasionally maddening in its abstraction.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026
Fortunately, Severin says everyone has been more than generous with their time and knowledge.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
"It was an extraordinarily generous wedding gift from a friend, and something for which we were and remain incredibly grateful," said the post by Bettina and Don Jr.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
“A makara. Crocodile jaw. Elephant trunk. Scales of fish. More generous than her face would suggest. The kappas, the makaras, the hippocamps—they are all starve-panicking. Krakens. There should be no krakens in these waters.”
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
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.
