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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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

do-good do good

“I mean, I’m a straight-up guy. I’m a do-good in Mayberry RFD.”

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 14, 2023

Use do-good booking platforms and travel search engines such as Fairbnb, Kind Traveler, Responsible Travel and Tourism Cares.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 14, 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

The honorees include Alison Bechdel, the cartoonist behind the 2006 memoir “Fun Home,” and Mike Mignola, the creator of the Hellboy comic book, about a do-good demon.

From New York Times ● Sep. 25, 2019

“You weren’t going to get her. And we needed a new truck. I’m not a do-good fool—like them.”

From "Orbiting Jupiter" by Gary D. Schmidt

Watt: You can do good things when you’re hungover — that’s the lesson here.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

To its proponents, EA is a rational, evidence-based way to do good.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

They just want to see that it drives you to do good.

From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2026

“They are trying to do good in a fallen world and realize the most they can do is less harm than someone else would do in that same role,” he explained.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

“I’m supposed to do good deeds,” said Raymie.

From "Raymie Nightingale" by Kate DiCamillo

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