do-gooding

[ doo-good-ing ]

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of do-gooding¹

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

Example Sentences

Retta devotes her life to do-gooding, fighting the everyday killers — “diabetes, obesity ... maternal deaths, alcoholism.”

From Los Angeles Times

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

“All these do-gooding New Dealers. They’re making it very difficult to conduct business in my usual fashion.”

From Literature

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

From Washington Times

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

From Seattle Times