charitable
Americanadjective
-
generous in donations or gifts to relieve the needs of indigent, ill, or helpless people, or of animals.
a charitable man giving much money to feed people experiencing food insecurity.
- Synonyms:
- benevolent, bountiful, liberal, beneficent
- Antonyms:
- selfish
-
kindly or lenient in judging people, acts, etc..
charitable in his opinions of others.
- Synonyms:
- mild, considerate, broad-minded, merciful, lenient
- Antonyms:
- intolerant, severe
-
relating to or concerned with charity.
a charitable institution.
adjective
-
generous in giving to the needy
-
kind or lenient in one's attitude towards others
-
concerned with or involving charity
Synonym Usage
See generous.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of charitable
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French, equivalent to charit(e) charity + -able -able
Explanation
Something that's charitable has to do with helping people who need assistance. A charitable act might include volunteering at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. A charitable donation is money you give to an organization that helps needy people — and the organization itself is also charitable. You can also use the word to describe, more generally, someone who's kind and generous, or the quality of giving people the benefit of the doubt: "He always had such a charitable opinions of me." Charitable comes from charity, from the Old French charité, "mercy or compassion."
Vocabulary lists containing charitable
Giving Words
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Positive Words to Describe a Person
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You're Too Kind! Synonyms for "Generous"
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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.
“We encourage all organizations that wish to solicit charitable donations within the City of Los Angeles to complete an info card and seek compliance.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
All Within My Hands, a charitable foundation created by Metallica, has proactively encouraged new and existing blood donors to come forward throughout the band's M72 world tour.
From BBC • May 26, 2026
He has listed his high school in Hawaii as beneficiary on two of his brokerage accounts, so he’s certainly got a “grá” — that’s Gaelic for deep affection — for charitable endeavors.
From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026
“I will be filing an appeal with the Ninth Circuit, because creating a precedent to loot charities is incredibly destructive to charitable giving in America.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
I never do find an apartment or affordable motel, although I do make one last attempt, seeking help one morning at a charitable agency.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
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.
