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GRE vocabulary

benevolent

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore B words

kind, generous, and well-meaning toward others

Word origin: From Latin bene (well) plus velle (to wish).

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In a sentence

Benevolent in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing benevolent in a sentence.

A benevolent landlord, she forgave rent during the hardest months.

The foundation's benevolent grants funded rural clinics that no government program would underwrite.

Synonyms
kindlycharitablebenignaltruistic
Antonyms

Quick GRE check

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Verbal · Sentence Equivalence

The treaty was hailed as a triumph of diplomacy, yet historians now regard its terms as blank, since they merely postponed the conflicts they claimed to resolve.

Select the two answers that give the sentence the same meaning. 0 of 2 selected.

Usage & nuance

Using “benevolent” well

Benevolent stresses an active disposition to do good for others, not just a mild absence of harm. Distinguish it from benign, which means harmless rather than actively kind.

Common questions

Questions about “benevolent”

Benevolent (adjective) means kind, generous, and well-meaning toward others
Here is benevolent used in an example sentence: "A benevolent landlord, she forgave rent during the hardest months." Another example: "The foundation's benevolent grants funded rural clinics that no government program would underwrite."
Common synonyms for benevolent include kindly, charitable, benign, altruistic.
Antonyms of benevolent include malevolent, cruel.
Benevolent pairs with kindly, charitable, benign, and altruistic. Its antonyms malevolent and cruel mark the wrong-sign trap to watch for in Text Completion.
Yes. Benevolent is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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