Synonym Chooser

How does the verb donate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of donate are afford, bestow, confer, give, and present. While all these words mean "to convey to another as a possession," donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

When is it sensible to use afford instead of donate?

The synonyms afford and donate are sometimes interchangeable, but afford implies a giving or bestowing usually as a natural or legitimate consequence of the character of the giver.

the trees afford shade
a development that affords us some hope

When could bestow be used to replace donate?

While the synonyms bestow and donate are close in meaning, bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

When would confer be a good substitute for donate?

The meanings of confer and donate largely overlap; however, confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

When might give be a better fit than donate?

In some situations, the words give and donate are roughly equivalent. However, give, the general term, is applicable to any passing over of anything by any means.

give alms
gave her a ride on a pony
give my love to your mother

Where would present be a reasonable alternative to donate?

Although the words present and donate have much in common, present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

Examples of donate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As of Thursday, more than 65 people had donated nearly $3,900 to help the family. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2024 Part of the sales will be donated to Sacred Groves to support its mission to preserve forests and natural environments. Sandra Salibian, WWD, 3 Oct. 2024 Their family frequently donates to Boston-area charities and to Harvard, where Johnson got an MBA. Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024 Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who donated to former President Joe Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign, stood between Trump and Biden during the ceremony. Sara Dorn, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for donate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'donate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near donate

Cite this Entry

“Donate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/donate. Accessed 18 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on donate

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