GENEROUS Synonyms: 131 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'generous' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of generous are bountiful , liberal , and munificent . While all these words mean "giving or given freely and unstintingly," generous stresses warmhearted readiness to give more than size or importance of the gift. // a generous offer of help

Q: Where would 'bountiful' be a reasonable alternative to 'generous'?

The synonyms bountiful and generous are sometimes interchangeable, but bountiful suggests lavish, unremitting giving or providing. // children spoiled by bountiful presents

Q: When might 'liberal' be a better fit than 'generous'?

In some situations, the words liberal and generous are roughly equivalent. However, liberal suggests openhandedness in the giver and largeness in the thing or amount given. // a teacher liberal with her praise

Q: When is 'munificent' a more appropriate choice than 'generous'?

The words munificent and generous can be used in similar contexts, but munificent suggests a scale of giving appropriate to lords or princes. // a munificent foundation grant

generous

adjective

ˈje-nə-rəs

Definition of generous

as in charitable

giving or sharing in abundance and without hesitation a civic leader who is very generous with his money and time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in plentiful

being more than enough without being excessive mashed potatoes with a generous serving of butter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective generous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of generous are bountiful, liberal, and munificent. While all these words mean "giving or given freely and unstintingly," generous stresses warmhearted readiness to give more than size or importance of the gift.

a generous offer of help

Where would bountiful be a reasonable alternative to generous?

The synonyms bountiful and generous are sometimes interchangeable, but bountiful suggests lavish, unremitting giving or providing.

children spoiled by bountiful presents

When might liberal be a better fit than generous?

In some situations, the words liberal and generous are roughly equivalent. However, liberal suggests openhandedness in the giver and largeness in the thing or amount given.

a teacher liberal with her praise

When is munificent a more appropriate choice than generous?

The words munificent and generous can be used in similar contexts, but munificent suggests a scale of giving appropriate to lords or princes.

a munificent foundation grant

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of generous Most items still manage to feel like a value given the generous portion sizes for the price point and many tables around me had leftovers boxed up to take home. — Khushbu Shah, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Oct. 2026 And when a trillion-dollar company receives generous tax incentives for a building that employs relatively few permanent workers, local officials are entitled to ask what their constituents are getting. — Zev Laine, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 Navatek — through executives, family members and lobbyists — would make generous campaign donations. — Molly Redden, ProPublica, 20 Oct. 2026 Be sure to take advantage of the platform’s generous, three-day trial to watch the WNBA Orange Carpet for free. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for generous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for generous

Adjective

Ford Motor Company has its own charitable arm, Ford Philanthropy, which is funded by the company’s earnings.

— Sydney Lake, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Another friend, Wanda Love, was a longtime head of a local chamber of commerce who participated in charitable causes.

— Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of charitable

Adjective

David Standridge’s philosophy is all about harvesting what’s plentiful and turning it into something delicious.

— Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
The service Employees are beautiful, plentiful and delightful, with a high staff-to-resident ratio that keeps guests from feeling overlooked, although communication between departments could be better.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of plentiful

Adjective

Zygielbaum says the highly competitive Congressional District 8 spans both counties with Adams leaning liberal and Weld conservative.

— Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
During Wednesday’s debate, Marshall repeatedly said a Hamilton victory would put Democrats in charge of the Senate and that Hamilton would vote with liberal Democrats.

— John Hanna, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of liberal

Adjective

The King Studio had ample room for relaxing during the day—with a couch, coffee table, and corner accent chair—and a welcoming canopy king bed for restful nights.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
While there's no denying the importance of a veggie-heavy diet and a regular exercise regimen, ample research points to the psychological benefits of both meditation and mindfulness.

— Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of ample

Adjective

Larger-than-life Halloween celebrations rise up every October like the Great Pumpkin (or a benevolent spooky spirit or two) to captivate visitors with parades, caramel apples, costume contests, and more.

— Michelle Mastro, Midwest Living, 9 Oct. 2026
Promotional images and films conjured a playful, adaptable and benevolent house — plastic as the building block of family happiness.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of benevolent

Browse Nearby Words

generosity

generous

generously

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Generous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/generous. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of generous

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

milieu

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes