benevolence
Americannoun
-
desire to do good to others; goodwill; charitableness.
to be filled with benevolence toward one's fellow creatures.
- Antonyms:
- malevolence
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an act of kindness; a charitable gift.
She bequeathed many benevolences from her vast fortune.
-
English History. a forced contribution to the sovereign.
noun
-
inclination or tendency to help or do good to others; charity
-
an act of kindness
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(in the Middle Ages) a forced loan or contribution exacted by English kings from their nobility and subjects
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of benevolence
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin benevolentia; see origin at benevolent, -ence
Explanation
Benevolence is an act of kindness or an inclination to be kind. It's the quality of someone who volunteers in a soup kitchen, tutors children for free, and helps old ladies cross the street. Helping your grandmother with her groceries is an act of benevolence — as long as she doesn’t pay you a dollar per bag. Letting your little sister have the last helping of ice cream shows benevolence. Benevolence is any kind act, but it can also describe the desire to do nice things. When you’re feeling selfish, you probably won’t show benevolence, but if benevolence comes through in spite of your crankiness, then you know you’re really a good person.
Vocabulary lists containing benevolence
Take the Bad with the Good: Bene and Mal
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Giving Words
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Between the World and Me
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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.
“One of benevolence and gentility, one where we accomplished useful tasks and made things that brought joy to people.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Many of Silicon Valley’s most powerful people have whined a lot in recent years about traditional media not being properly understanding of their companies’ brilliance and benevolence.
From Slate ● Apr. 7, 2026
There was a degree of benevolence in that ring.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2025
We are underestimating by a factor of two the kindness and benevolence of other people, and that's universal.
From Salon ● Apr. 14, 2025
Is there no end to his disguises, of benevolence?
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
