donate

American  

[doh-neyt, doh-neyt] / ˈdoʊ neɪt, doʊˈneɪt /

verb (used with object)

donated, donating

1. to present as a gift, grant, or contribution; make a donation of, as to a fund or cause.

   to donate used clothes to the Salvation Army.

   Synonyms:

   bequeath, present, bestow, contribute

---

verb (used without object)

donated, donating

1. to make a gift, grant, or contribution of something; give; contribute.

   They donate to the Red Cross every year.

donate British  

/ dəʊˈneɪt /

verb

1. to give (money, time, etc), esp to a charity

---

Other Word Forms

• donator noun
• predonate verb (used with object)
• undonated adjective

Etymology

Origin of donate

1775–85, probably back formation from donation

Example Sentences

He treated the lottery more like "an opportunity to donate to charity - with the chance of winning as a bonus" and was shocked at finally seeing the winning code.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

The pop star named best new artist at Sunday’s Grammy Awards challenged her critic to donate $25,000 to struggling musicians.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Meanwhile, his commitment to being a values-driven business drew supporters, who began to donate supplies, and books—so many books, in fact, that every book he sold came via charitable donation.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

But the ultimate amount that wealthy individuals and corporations donate will also be affected by economic growth and the intergenerational wealth transfer that is putting trillions of dollars into the hands of the younger generation.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

Last time I had been there, I practically had to donate blood to get a candy heart.

From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick

Related Words

• award
• bequeath
• contribute
• devote
• give
• give away
• grant
• hand out
• present
• provide