donate

verb

ˈdō-ˌnāt How to pronounce donate (audio)
Definition of donatenext
as in to volunteer
to make a present of we plan to donate all the profits from the rummage sale to charity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of donate According to the complaint, Wahab’s state Senate campaign donated the money to the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee, which could have moved the money to its federal account and went on to launch an independent expenditure boosting Wahab. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 12 Aug. 2026 In the nearly 3,000 patients who donated their brains to science, the brains of those who took estrogen were less likely to show neurobiological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, such as beta-amyloid plaques or tangles of tau protein. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026 Although much is now known about Weber’s life, less can be said about who donated his more than 300 letters to the USO. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 12 Aug. 2026 The two hit it off – so well, in fact, Knight donated $400,000 to the on-campus Paterno libraries and would speak at the coach’s 2012 funeral. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for donate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for donate
  1. volunteer
  2. contribute
  3. give
Verb
  • The 63-year-old was born in the central city of Esfahan and volunteered to fight in the Iraq-Iran war as a teenager, along with tens of thousands of young Iranians.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The council also lists ongoing open hours for volunteering at 18 community gardens.
    — Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of volunteer
Verb
  • Associated Press reporter Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, also contributed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Orange County beachgoers notice that there's a lot of stingrays lately, and lifeguards say the warm water, especially in places where the surf is relatively calm, is contributing to a dramatic increase in the number of stingray incidents.
    — Michele Gile, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of contribute
Verb
  • The Arts District is a short rideshare away and gives you all the indie bars and restaurants and vintage shopping.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Karlie Lema’s pressure gave Bay FC (5-10-4) a lead in the sixth minute, but Moriya responded a minute later to tie it and Utah (11-6-3) took the lead in the 22nd minute on Narumi’s shot from outside the box.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of give

Browse Nearby Words

don
donate
donated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Donate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/donate. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on donate

Nglish: Translation of donate for Spanish Speakers

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