beneficent

adjective

be·​nef·​i·​cent bə-ˈne-fə-sənt How to pronounce beneficent (audio)
1
: doing or producing good
a beneficent policy
especially : performing acts of kindness and charity
a beneficent leader
2
: beneficial
beneficent bacteria
beneficently adverb

Examples of beneficent in a Sentence

a humane and beneficent policy a beneficent couple who are regular volunteers at a homeless shelter
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.
White male Christian authority could posture as gracious and beneficent as long as it was unquestioned. Rebecca Solnit january 13, Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2021 The culmination of Roosevelt’s beneficent framing of the canal’s construction came during the spectacular world’s fair, the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, held in 1915 to celebrate the canal’s opening. Julie Greene / Made By History, TIME, 22 Jan. 2025 The angel was inspired by a print, Angelus Novus, by his friend Paul Klee, which features a great and beneficent being with his wings spread wide. Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2025 The culmination of Roosevelt’s beneficent framing of the canal’s construction came during the spectacular world’s fair, the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, held in 1915 to celebrate the canal’s opening. Julie Greene / Made By History, TIME, 22 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beneficent

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from beneficence

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beneficent was circa 1616

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beneficent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beneficent. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

beneficent

adjective
be·​nef·​i·​cent bə-ˈnef-ə-sənt How to pronounce beneficent (audio)
: doing or producing good
especially : performing acts of kindness or charity
beneficently adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on beneficent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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