endowments

noun

plural of endowment
as in talents
a special and usually inborn ability it's a sin to waste one's God-given endowments

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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 endowments This should be of particular interest to pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and insurance companies that have committed billions to climate venture funds. — Rob Day, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Rather than funding a single program, the donation from the Dimons flows into permanent endowments, which UNCF argues gives schools the freedom to plan for decades instead of scrambling to find donations year to year. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026 In contrast, colleges that husbanded big endowments from wealthy alumni could rely on income from these assets to finance much of their college operations; tuition has been less important and can be waived for high-achieving prospective students. — Jim Nowlan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, big pension funds, university endowments, and other institutional investors have been allocating to private markets for decades, helping many outperform traditional stock-and-bond portfolios over long periods. — Bydoug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026 Washington also bars its pension funds and college endowments from investing into Chinese firms developing sensitive technologies. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 July 2026 The effects have been felt most acutely at schools with small endowments and those that enroll large percentages of international students recruited from abroad. — Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 16 July 2026 These endowments still operate today according to the rules that Noyes prescribed in 1919. — Thomas Adam, The Conversation, 16 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for endowments
  1. talents
  2. gifts
  3. aptitudes
  4. knacks
Noun
  • Junior quarterback Aaron McCormack, who is the coach’s son and ran for a touchdown and threw a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Justin Slaven, is among the teammates who quickly came to appreciate Harris’ talents.
    — Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Mystery Men Throw it back to the Y2K era with this 1999 comedy starring a plethora of the era’s brightest comedic talents, including Ben Stiller, Kel Mitchell, Janeane Garofolo, and Paul Reubens.
    — Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of talents
Noun
  • Focus and Blur A procession of gifts and drinks arrive at the reception.
    — Rebecca Suhrawardi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The morality police, which are often accused of extreme policies, recently announced a statewide ban in Sokoto on the use of DJs at events, as well as inappropriate haircuts, extravagant bridal gifts and playing music on public transport.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of gifts
Noun
  • For this class, the premise is that your purpose in life lies to the intersection of your values, your aptitudes and your interests.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 6 May 2026
  • This model reflects Japan’s long-standing corporate culture, which prioritizes new hires for their general potential—their aptitudes and aspirations, as opposed to their current skill sets or university majors—and then trains them on the job.
    — GRACIA LIU-FARRER, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2025
Definition of aptitudes
Noun
  • Streamline open shelves and reduce the amount of decor, especially small knick-knacks.
    — Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 23 Aug. 2026
  • During your decluttering spree, don’t forget to step into your closet to see what other knick-knacks can go.
    — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of knacks

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endowment
endowments
endows
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Cite this Entry

“Endowments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/endowments. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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