benevolent
Americanadjective
-
characterized by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings.
a benevolent attitude; her benevolent smile.
-
desiring to help others; charitable.
gifts from several benevolent alumni.
- Synonyms:
- altruistic, philanthropic, benign, liberal, generous, humane, kind, good
-
intended for benefits rather than profit.
a benevolent institution.
adjective
-
intending or showing goodwill; kindly; friendly
a benevolent smile
a benevolent old man
-
doing good or giving aid to others, rather than making profit; charitable
a benevolent organization
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of benevolent
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin benevolent-, stem of benevolēns “kindhearted, well-wishing,” from bene- bene- + volēns “willing, wishing” (present participle of velle “to want, wish”); cf. voluntary
Explanation
Choose the adjective benevolent for someone who does good deeds or shows goodwill. If your teacher collects homework with a benevolent smile, she's hoping that you've done a good job. Benevolent comes from the Latin bene, "well," and volent, from a verb meaning "to wish." A benevolent society is a charity group organized to serve a community through programs, sponsorships, and donations. The expression "benevolent dictatorship" may seem like an oxymoron, but it is a political term for an authoritative government that (supposedly) works for the good of the people under its rule.
Vocabulary lists containing benevolent
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Animal Farm
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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.
“Happy building!” the benevolent boy king of A.I. told the world.
From Slate • Apr. 14, 2026
"It is the only alliance that, until now, had a major player behaving like a benevolent hegemon, one that did not impose its actions on others by force," he told AFP.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
“He can swear and still be a gentleman if he does it in a nice and benevolent and affectionate way.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026
In Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears’ film, a bear cub is cared for by a benevolent tree on a cliffside.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026
His very boots were benevolent, and his collars never stiff and raspy like other people’s.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
