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

What about a little do-gooding in the community, English as a second language to teach, a PTO board to assist.

From The Daily Beast

His life is well-planned and hard-won; he has a stable, do-gooding career.

From The Daily Beast

The news made tabloid headlines around the world, a grim case of do-gooding apparently gone wrong.

From The Daily Beast