What does "benevolence" mean?
Disposition to do good.
Benevolence
/bəˈnɛvələns/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Disposition to do good.
- Grammar: benevolence is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: accommodatingness, act of grace, act of kindness, advantageousness.
- Useful contrasts: cruel disposition, ill disposition, state coercion.
- Usage evidence: It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.
How to use "benevolence"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "benevolence" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "benevolence" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "benevolence" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "benevolence" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "benevolence" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "accommodatingness" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "benevolence", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Disposition to do good. uncountable
"gesture of benevolence"
- 2 an act intending or showing kindness and good will wordnet
- 3 Charitable kindness. uncountable
"His acts of benevolence earned him great respect."
- 4 an inclination to do kind or charitable acts wordnet
- 5 An altruistic gift or act. countable
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 disposition to do good wordnet
- 7 A kind of forced loan or contribution levied by kings without legal authority, first so called under Edward IV in 1473. UK, countable, historical, uncountable
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "benevolence"?
Common synonyms include: accommodatingness, act of grace, act of kindness, advantageousness, affability, agape.
How do you use "benevolence" in a sentence?
It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.
How do you pronounce "benevolence"?
Pronounced /bəˈnɛvələns/.
Etymology
Circa 1400, original sense “good will, disposition to do good”, Old French benivolence from Latin benevolentia (also directly from Latin), literally “good will”, from bene (“well, good”) + volentia, form of volēns, form of volō (“I wish”), components cognate to English benefit and voluntary, more distantly will (via Proto-Indo-European).