charitable

charitable — adjective

1. involving the provision of money, goods, or assistance to people suffering from

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

involving the provision of money, goods, or assistance to people suffering from poverty, illness, or other hardship, or relating to an organization that works for such purposes

Example

The Watanabe family makes a charitable donation to the animal shelter every spring.

collocation: charitable donation

A charitable organization in Nairobi provides meals for over two thousand schoolchildren each day.

charitable organization + of + [place]

Common collocations
  • charitable donation
  • charitable organization
  • charitable trust
  • charitable foundation
  • charitable work
  • charitable cause
  • charitable giving
Synonyms
  • generous

    broader meaning — can refer to giving money, time, or praise, not limited to helping the needy

  • philanthropic

    more formal; usually describes large-scale giving by wealthy individuals or foundations

  • benevolent

    formal and emotional; suggests genuine kindness and goodwill toward others

Antonyms
  • stingy

    informal; unwilling to give or share, even small amounts

  • miserly

    strongly negative; describes someone who hoards money and hates spending

  • uncharitable

    direct opposite; not generous or helpful

Grammar Patterns

charitable + noun (donation / organization / trust)

be + charitable

Usage Note

Often placed before nouns such as 'donation', 'organization', 'trust', or 'foundation'. Can also follow 'be' or 'seem' in predicative position, for example: 'The Lee family is very charitable.'

Common Mistakes

She works for a charitable.
She works for a charity.
'charitable' is an adjective; use the noun 'charity' when referring to an organization.

2. showing kindness and understanding toward someone by being gentle in your judgme

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

showing kindness and understanding toward someone by being gentle in your judgment of their behavior, mistakes, or faults, rather than criticizing them harshly

Example

The supervisor was charitable about the intern's error and gave her another chance to learn.

charitable about + [noun]

A charitable interpretation of his silence is that he did not want to offend anyone.

charitable interpretation of + [noun]

Common collocations
  • charitable view
  • charitable interpretation
  • charitable about
  • charitable toward
Synonyms
  • forgiving

    emphasizes letting go of resentment rather than being gentle in judgment

  • lenient

    focuses on being less strict with rules or punishment

  • tolerant

    describes accepting differences without objecting, rather than judging mistakes kindly

Antonyms
  • harsh

    severe and unkind in criticizing or punishing

  • critical

    too ready to find faults or express disapproval

  • uncharitable

    direct opposite; unwilling to see the good in someone's actions

Grammar Patterns

charitable about + [noun / gerund]

charitable toward + [person]

charitable view / interpretation of + [noun]

Usage Note

Commonly paired with prepositions 'about' and 'toward', or with nouns like 'view' and 'interpretation'. The focus is on leniency in passing judgment, not on general kindness.

Common Mistakes

The judge was charitable to the young thief, giving him a small reward.
The judge was charitable to the young thief, giving him a light sentence.
'charitable' in this sense means lenient or forgiving, not generous with material rewards.

Word family

  • charity
    nounB1
  • charitably
    adverbB2
  • uncharitable
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe giving or helping, but they differ in scope and tone. 'Charitable' is the most concrete: it connects directly to giving money, food, or goods to people in need, often through an organized effort or institution. 'Generous' is broader — you can be generous with your time, praise, or hospitality, not just with material aid. 'Philanthropic' carries a formal, often large-scale tone and is typically used for wealthy donors or foundations that fund long-term projects such as libraries, museums, or research institutes. 'Benevolent' is more emotional and literary, suggesting a warm, kindly disposition toward others rather than a specific act of giving. A person can be benevolent without donating anything, but a charitable person typically takes action. For everyday use, 'charitable' and 'generous' are the most natural choices; 'philanthropic' and 'benevolent' suit more formal or descriptive writing.

charitable ↗generous ↗philanthropicbenevolent

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • genuinely charitable
  • deeply charitable
  • truly charitable

Phrases

  • take a charitable view
  • be charitable about

Prepositions

  • charitable to
  • charitable toward

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'charitable' entered English through Old French 'charitable', from Late Latin 'caritativus', which came from Latin 'caritas' meaning 'dearness, love' (the same root gives us 'charity'). The sense of giving to the needy developed from the Christian concept of love for one's neighbor, which included almsgiving as a practical expression of that love. The softer sense of 'lenient in judgment' emerged later, extending the idea of generosity from material giving to generosity of spirit.