benevolent

adjective

be·​nev·​o·​lent bə-ˈne-və-lənt How to pronounce benevolent (audio)
-ˈnev-
Synonyms of benevolent
1
a
: marked by kindness or generosity : disposed to doing good
a benevolent donor
In stark contrast to … gold-hoarding dragons of medieval Europe, Chinese dragons were perceived as benevolent creatures.—Catherine Duncan
b
: organized for the purpose of doing good
In post-Civil War America, benevolent societies also found a foothold aiding people freed from slavery.—Ashawnta Jackson
2
: marked by or suggestive of goodwill
benevolent smiles
The sky above was blue, the whole scene lit by a bright benevolent sun …—Arnold Thomas Fanning
benevolently adverb
benevolentness noun

Did you know?

Benevolent Has a Good History

One who is benevolent genuinely wishes other people well, a meaning reflected clearly in the word's Latin roots: benevolent comes from bene, meaning "good," and velle, meaning "to wish." Other descendants of velle in English include volition, which refers to the power to make one's own choices or decisions, and voluntary, as well as the rare velleity, meaning either "the lowest degree of volition" or "a slight wish or tendency." A more familiar velle descendant stands directly opposed to benevolent: malevolent describes someone or something having or showing a desire to cause harm to another person.

Synonyms of benevolent

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Examples of benevolent in a Sentence

Trees that size are like whales, sort of benevolent in their huge bulk … —Sebastian Junger, This Old House, March/April 1998
Grandfather sometimes turned on us like a rigged trap, and of course the benevolent gaze of the sage became the glare of the patriarch. —Darryl Pinckney, High Cotton, 1992
A Southern writer is allowed his eccentricities. The prevailing attitude is a kind of benevolent neglect. —Walker Percy, "Why I Live Where I Live," 1980, in Signposts in a Strange Land,  1991
They tore out the windows of the club's simple storefront and bricked them over and left two much smaller windows … so that the look of the club changed from that of a benevolent neighborhood organization to that of a paramilitary one. —"The Talk of the Town," New Yorker,  26 Feb. 1990
a gift from a benevolent donor He belonged to several benevolent societies and charitable organizations.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Stülpnagel drops in, makes vague, benevolent pronouncements, and asks Frank to hide little notes for fellow anti-Hitler plotters. — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 For example, experts might put a lot of effort into listening to community needs to demonstrate integrity and openness, but miss opportunities to communicate the underlying benevolent motivations driving their work. — John C. Besley, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026 The new movie follows a benevolent ex-pilot named Hig (Jacob Elordi) who, after losing his wife during a catastrophic global pandemic, lives out in the wilderness with his dog, Jasper, and ornery isolationist pal Bangley (Josh Brolin). — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 City leaders agree large, unsupervised gatherings could put kids at risk even if most attendees are there for benevolent reasons. — Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for benevolent

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin benevolent-, benevolens, from bene + volent-, volens, present participle of velle to wish — more at will

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of benevolent was in the 15th century

Rhymes for benevolent

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Browse Nearby Words

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benevolent
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Cite this Entry

“Benevolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/benevolent. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

benevolent

adjective
be·​nev·​o·​lent bə-ˈnev(-ə)-lənt How to pronounce benevolent (audio)
: having a desire to do good : kindly, charitable
a benevolent organization
benevolently adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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