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• do-good
  do-good

  adjective

  of or befitting a do-gooder.
• do good
  do good

  Act in an upright, moral way; engage in philanthropy. For example, Social workers are trained to help people to help themselves, not simply going around doing good. This term was first recorded in a.d. 725. Also see do any good; do one good.

do-good

American  

[doo-good] / ˈduˌgʊd /

adjective

1. of or befitting a do-gooder.

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do good Idioms  

1. Act in an upright, moral way; engage in philanthropy. For example, Social workers are trained to help people to help themselves, not simply going around doing good. This term was first recorded in a.d. 725. Also see do any good; do one good.

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Etymology

Origin of do-good

First recorded in 1965–70; back formation from do-gooder

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

do-good do good

“It’s a do-good business, a do-good league,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said after the game.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 21, 2022

John Ridley, screenwriter, “12 Years a Slave”: This is not charity, it’s not do-good work.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2020

All do-good groups should enforce the zero-tolerance sexual harassment policies most have on their books, and ensure these rules apply equally to their unpaid interns, board members and volunteers, as well as to paid staff.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 14, 2018

Organize a gaggle of do-gooders to go do-good.

From New York Times ● Dec. 22, 2017

Or maybe, she’ll move in with some do-good neighbor.

From "Mississippi Trial, 1955" by Chris Crowe

“They always try to do bad but it always falls on top of them. Then, when they do good, it’s heartwarming. You get to play all these different colors inside of these guys.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

“We want great people to do good work, then tell their friends and come back.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Doctors take a Hippocratic oath to do good, not harm, and put their patients first.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026

It might do harm; it might do good; it will likely do a bit of both to everyone it touches, and to different degrees.

From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2026

She was big on that, wanting me to think about things, and do good in school, and read books and stuff.

From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick