benevolence
/bəˈnevələns/ (bre, ipa) · /bəˈnevələns/ (ame, ipa) · /bə-ˈne-və-lən(t)s -ˈnev-/ (ame, mw)
benevolence — noun
1. A gentle and generous attitude toward others that leads a person to do kind thin
A gentle and generous attitude toward others that leads a person to do kind things and offer help.
Kwame's benevolence toward his elderly neighbours was well known throughout the town.
The old doctor showed her quiet benevolence by treating patients who had no insurance.
quiet benevolence
Hiroshi believed that true benevolence means helping strangers without expecting anything in return.
Visitors to the village often spoke of the warmth and benevolence of the people there.
A spirit of benevolence filled the hall as volunteers packed meals for struggling families.
- kindness
more general and commonly used; benevolence suggests a deeper, principled kindness
- goodwill
focuses on friendly feelings rather than actions
- compassion
emphasises sympathy for suffering more than active help
- cruelty
the deliberate intention to cause pain or suffering
文法句型
benevolence + toward/towards (someone)
用法筆記
Often describes a person's lasting character rather than a single action. Frequently appears with prepositions toward or towards.
常見錯誤
2. The practice of donating money, time, or resources to support people in need or
The practice of donating money, time, or resources to support people in need or organisations that do good work.
The tech company's benevolence funded three new schools and a health clinic in rural areas.
Vikram expressed his benevolence by donating fifty thousand dollars to the local food bank.
benevolence by donating
The library was built entirely through the benevolence of a single anonymous donor.
Mei's family showed their benevolence through years of sponsoring children to attend school.
Small businesses often rely on the benevolence of local customers to help during hard times.
- charity
more concrete and common; charity can refer to an organisation itself
- generosity
focuses on the willingness to give freely, often of resources
- philanthropy
more formal, implies large-scale or organised giving
- stinginess
unwillingness to share or give resources
文法句型
benevolence + to (a cause / organisation)
用法筆記
Often used to describe the generosity of institutions, wealthy individuals, or organisations. Compare with sense 1, which describes personal character — sense 2 focuses on the concrete act of giving.
常見錯誤
3. A single kind or helpful action done for another person, especially one given fr
A single kind or helpful action done for another person, especially one given freely without expecting anything in return.
Letting the exhausted mother go first in the queue was a small but genuine benevolence.
a small but genuine benevolence
Samira never forgot the stranger's simple benevolence in paying for her bus fare.
Bringing warm soup to a sick colleague is a simple benevolence that means a lot.
The driver performed a quiet benevolence by stopping to help change a flat tyre.
Offering a seat on the train was a small benevolence that made the woman smile.
文法句型
a benevolence + toward (someone)
small benevolence
用法筆記
This countable use (a benevolence) is less common than the uncountable senses 1 and 2. It is fairly formal and often appears in literary or descriptive writing. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 3 refers to a single deed, not an ongoing quality.