Benevolent
mediumPositive tonebuh-NEV-uh-lunt
adjective
Definition
Well-meaning and kindly; generous and charitable
Memory hook
BENE-volent: BENE means good -- a benevolent person wishes good things for others.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The benevolent donor gave millions to charity.”
“She had a benevolent smile that put everyone at ease.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The ______ donor gave millions to charity.”
Show answer
benevolent
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Benevolent is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "charitable" or "generous" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "malevolent".
Related GRE Words
beneficent
Doing good or causing good to be done; generous and kind
philanthropic
Seeking to promote the welfare of others; generous
magnanimous
Very generous or forgiving; noble in spirit
liberal
Generous in giving; given freely; open to new ideas
unstinting
Given or giving without restraint; very generous
benign
Gentle, harmless, or not serious; not causing harm or danger
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