do-gooder

noun

do-good·​er ˈdü-ˌgu̇-dər How to pronounce do-gooder (audio)
Synonyms of do-goodernext
: an earnest often naive humanitarian or reformer
do-gooding
ˈdü-ˌgu̇-diŋ How to pronounce do-gooder (audio)
noun or adjective

Examples of do-gooder in a Sentence

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.
The notion of a virtuous do-gooder saving the day is too simplistic for this story. — Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026 Then one of the crew met a man named Chris, a do-gooder in the community who lost his home to an electrical fire last year. — Amy Eskind, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026 Their Tom and Jerry are each rescued by do-gooders who eventually fall in love. — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 22 June 2026 Gleeson’s casual menace and black sense of humor make for an ideal foil to Cage’s quip-cracking do-gooder. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for do-gooder

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of do-gooder was in 1925

Browse Nearby Words

do-good
do-gooder
do-gooding
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Do-gooder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/do-gooder. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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