donate

American

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

verb (used with object)

donated, donating

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

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

They donate to the Red Cross every year.

donate British

/ dəʊˈneɪt /

verb

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

"That's why we are here, that's why people decided to mobilize for this and decided to donate."

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

Gini began taking medication and was eventually able to donate 17 eggs.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

“You can donate something you already have, or if you want, you can make something new.”

From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023