Synonyms for beneficence
Most common
All synonyms
Noun
1. Benevolence — the practice of doing good, such as acts of philanthropy, kind deeds; or other acts which benefit someone else
benevolence, kindness, generosity, charity, goodness, bounty
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
The practice of doing good, such as acts of philanthropy, kind deeds; or other acts which benefit someone else.
Related words
- Word family
- benefice
Forms
- Plural
- beneficences → benevolences, kindnesses, generosities, charities…
Choose the right word
According to the etymology and original usage, beneficence is the doing well, benevolence the wishing or willing well to others; but benevolence has come to include beneficence, and to displace it.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- charity The street had a charity run for cancer awareness.
- kindness Kyoko had the kindness to carry my baggage for me.
- generosity Two traits of Americans are generosity and energy.
- benevolence Benevolence is abstract, a good deed is concrete.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| beneficence | rising | |
| charity | rising | |
| kindness | rising | |
| generosity | rising | |
| benevolence | rising | |
| virtuousness | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 6 letters
- bounty2
- 7 letters
- charity3
- 8 letters
- goodness2, kindness2
- 10 letters
- generosity5
- 11 letters
- benevolence4
- 12 letters
- virtuousness
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (bounty2 = 2 syllables).