philanthropic

adjective

phil·​an·​throp·​ic ˌfi-lən-ˈthrä-pik How to pronounce philanthropic (audio)
variants or less commonly philanthropical
ˌfi-lən-ˈthrä-pi-kəl How to pronounce philanthropic (audio)
Synonyms of philanthropicnext
1
: of, relating to, or characterized by philanthropy : humanitarian
2
: dispensing or receiving aid from funds set aside for humanitarian purposes
philanthropically
ˌfi-lən-ˈthrä-pi-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce philanthropic (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of philanthropic

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Examples of philanthropic in a Sentence

a philanthropic society that has been doing good for over a century
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.
Yet philanthropic investment is shrinking in relative terms. — Felecia Hatcher, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026 This is not the first such philanthropic Parisian endeavor David Yurman has undertaken. — Roberta Naas, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026 His foundation focuses on food security, conflict mitigation, and combating human trafficking—work that reflects his conviction that philanthropic capital is uniquely positioned to take big risks. — Tharin Pillay, Time, 14 May 2026 In six short years, Rare Beauty, Selena Gomez‘s beauty brand, has raised $30 million toward the star’s philanthropic goal of giving $100 million to mental health causes. — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for philanthropic

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of philanthropic was in 1789

Rhymes for philanthropic

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Browse Nearby Words

philanthrope
philanthropic
philanthropism
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Cite this Entry

“Philanthropic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/philanthropic. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

philanthropic

adjective
phil·​an·​throp·​ic ˌfil-ən-ˈthräp-ik How to pronounce philanthropic (audio)
: of, relating to, or devoted to philanthropy : charitable, benevolent
philanthropical
-ˈthräp-i-kəl
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on philanthropic

Nglish: Translation of philanthropic for Spanish Speakers

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