do-gooding

American  

[doo-good-ing] / ˈduˌgʊd ɪŋ /

noun

1. earnestly doing good; focusing on humanitarian causes in a naive and often ineffectual way.

---

Etymology

Origin of do-gooding

First recorded in 1935–40; do ¹ ( def. ) + good ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

do-gooding

But the image of Bernstein as a wealthy, fatuously do-gooding liberal was irresistible to many.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026

Although Miranda is merely an intern at Human Rights Watch, she is thrilled about her new position — she’s finally free from corporate law and instead engaged in actual do-gooding.

From New York Times ● Aug. 3, 2023

The Sith are the malevolent enemies of the do-gooding Jedi.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 27, 2023

And all along the way, they were aided by lawmakers, who rarely found a church or do-gooding organization they didn’t feel like helping out with a new tax exemption.

From Slate ● May 10, 2018

Net-a-Porter is teaming with Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld’s Good + Foundation for a summer of do-gooding.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2017