Charity — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈcher-ə-tē/ char·i·ty

Meaning & Definition of Charity

Charity (noun)

  1. generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering; also, aid given to those in need
  2. an institution engaged in relief of the poor
  3. public provision for the relief of the needy

Charity (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the giving of necessities and especially money to the needy

    "after amassing a fortune in the computer industry, the brothers devoted themselves to charity"

    similar: almsgiving, dole, philanthropy
    related: altruism, do-gooding, do-goodism, humanism, humanitarianism, beneficence, benevolence, goodwill, alms, benefaction, contribution, donation, relief, welfare, endowment, fund, grant, subsidy

  2. a gift of money or its equivalent to a charity, humanitarian cause, or public institution

    "donated his mansion and all of its land as a charity to the people of his beloved home state"

    similar: alms, benefaction, beneficence, contribution, donation, philanthropy
    related: offering, tithe, bequest, endowment, legacy, aid, assistance, dole, handout, relief, welfare, grant, subsidy, benevolence, bestowal, largesse, present, presentation

  3. kind, gentle, or compassionate treatment especially towards someone who is undeserving of it

    "can't you show a little charity to a guy who's the first to admit he's not perfect?"

    similar: clemency, forbearance, lenience, leniency, lenity, mercifulness, mercy, quarter
    related: humanitarianism, philanthropy, empathy, pity, sympathy, understanding, commiseration, favor, grace, benevolence, care, compassion, gentleness, goodness, goodwill, humaneness, kindliness, kindness, meekness, mildness, niceness, softness, tenderness, altruism, generosity, magnanimity, nobility, affection, devotion, love, worship
    near: hard-heartedness, mercilessness, pitilessness, ruthlessness, uncharitableness, reprisal, requital, retaliation, retribution, revenge, vengeance, venom, vindictiveness, virulence, vitriol, atrocity, barbarity, brutality, cruelty, sadism, savageness, savagery, truculence, viciousness, violence, wantonness, castigation, chastisement, discipline, punishment, scolding, abhorrence, abomination, detestation, execration, hate, hatred, loathing, cattiness, malevolence, malice, maliciousness, malignancy, malignity, meanness, nastiness, spite, spitefulness, spleen, animosity, antagonism, antipathy, bitterness, enmity, gall, grudge, hostility, jealousy, pique, resentment, bile, jaundice, rancor, hatefulness, invidiousness, coarseness, hardness, harshness, roughness

  4. the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune

    "his charity is such that he's a sucker for every panhandler's tale of woe"

    similar: bigheartedness, commiseration, compassion, feeling, good-heartedness, heart, humanity, kindheartedness, kindliness, kindness, largeheartedness, mercy, pity, ruth, softheartedness, sympathy, warmheartedness
    related: feelings, responsiveness, sensibility, sensitivity, affection, love, regard, affinity, empathy, rapport, altruism, benevolence, benignancy, benignity, generosity, goodwill, humaneness, humanism, humanitarianism, philanthropy
    opposite: coldheartedness, hard-heartedness, inhumanity, inhumanness, mercilessness, pitilessness
    near: callousness, coldness, disinterest, indifference, unconcern, cruelty, harshness, animosity, antipathy, dislike, hatred, hostility

  5. kindly concern, interest, or support

    "Lincoln's famous promise that the period of Reconstruction would be marked by charity for all"

    similar: amity, benevolence, brotherhood, cordiality, cordialness, fellowship, friendliness, friendship, gemütlichkeit, good-fellowship, goodwill, kindliness, neighborliness
    related: bonhomie, camaraderie, collegiality, community, companionship, company, comradeship, civility, comity, concord, harmony, rapport, rapprochement, generosity, affinity, communion, empathy, kindness, sympathy, tolerance, altruism, philanthropy, selflessness, unselfishness
    opposite: ill will, malevolence, venom
    near: disfavor, intolerance, animosity, antagonism, antipathy, enmity, hate, hatred, hostility, incivility, malice, rancor, belligerency, quarrelsomeness, querulousness

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Charity

The most common words with a similar meaning to Charity:

almsgiving, dole, philanthropy, alms, benefaction, beneficence, contribution, donation, clemency, forbearance, lenience, leniency, lenity, mercifulness, mercy, quarter, bigheartedness, commiseration, compassion, feeling, good-heartedness, heart, humanity, kindheartedness, kindliness, kindness, largeheartedness, pity, ruth, softheartedness, sympathy, warmheartedness, amity, benevolence, brotherhood, cordiality, cordialness, fellowship, friendliness, friendship

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Charity

Words with the opposite meaning of Charity:

coldheartedness, hard-heartedness, inhumanity, inhumanness, mercilessness, pitilessness, ill will, malevolence, venom

Related Words for Charity

altruism, do-gooding, do-goodism, humanism, humanitarianism, relief, welfare, endowment, fund, grant, subsidy, offering, tithe, bequest, legacy, aid, assistance, handout, bestowal, largesse, present, presentation, empathy, understanding, favor, grace, care, gentleness, goodness, humaneness

Near Antonyms of Charity

ruthlessness, uncharitableness, reprisal, requital, retaliation, retribution, revenge, vengeance, vindictiveness, virulence, vitriol, atrocity, barbarity, brutality, cruelty, sadism, savageness, savagery, truculence, viciousness, violence, wantonness, castigation, chastisement, discipline, punishment, scolding, abhorrence, abomination, detestation

Word Forms of Charity

Inflections: charities

Origin & Etymology of Charity

Middle English charite, from Anglo-French charité, from Late Latin caritat-, caritas Christian love, from Latin, dearness, from carus dear; akin to Old Irish carae friend, Sanskrit kāma love

First known use: 13th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Charity

Words & Phrases Containing Charity

charity shop

Frequently Asked Questions about Charity

What does "Charity" mean?

"Charity" means generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering; also, aid given to those in need. As a noun, it is defined as: generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering; also, aid given to those in need. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Charity"?

Other words for "Charity" include almsgiving, dole, philanthropy, alms, benefaction, beneficence, contribution and donation. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Charity" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Charity"?

There are 111 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Charity". Common alternatives include almsgiving, dole, philanthropy, alms, benefaction, beneficence, contribution, donation, clemency and forbearance.

What is the opposite of "Charity"?

Antonyms of "Charity" include coldheartedness, hard-heartedness, inhumanity, inhumanness, mercilessness, pitilessness, ill will and malevolence. Near antonyms include ruthlessness, uncharitableness, reprisal and requital.

How do you use "Charity" in a sentence?

Examples of "Charity" in a sentence: "after amassing a fortune in the computer industry, the brothers devoted themselves to charity"; "donated his mansion and all of its land as a charity to the people of his beloved home state"; "can't you show a little charity to a guy who's the first to admit he's not perfect?".

Is "Charity" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Charity" is a noun.

Is "Charity" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Charity" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Charity"?

"Charity" is pronounced /ˈcher-ə-tē/ and divided into syllables as char·i·ty.