donate

verb

do·​nate ˈdō-ˌnāt How to pronounce donate (audio)
dō-ˈnāt
donated; donating

transitive verb

1
: to make a gift of
especially : to contribute to a public or charitable cause
2
: to transfer (a particle, such as an electron) to another atom or molecule
Choose the Right Synonym for donate

give, present, donate, bestow, confer, afford mean to convey to another as a possession.

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

present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

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

Examples of donate in a Sentence

The computers were donated by local companies. We donated our old clothes to charity. people who donate money to political candidates He donates some of his free time to volunteer work. Everyone is encouraged to donate. People are encouraged to donate blood. Please sign this form if you would like to donate your organs when you die. You can donate at the blood bank every eight weeks.
Recent Examples on the Web The organization aims to support 500 schools and 400,000 students, the video’s YouTube page explains, and hopes to get 1 million people to donate $1 per month. Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 14 Mar. 2024 With no family member fit to donate a kidney, Baer was placed on a waitlist. Janet Shamlian, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2024 Listeners often donate at least $60 for a bag that costs about $5 wholesale. Quartz Staff, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 Some of the objects were donated by victims, survivors and relatives, while others came from museum collections around the world. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Mar. 2024 The work was conducted at UCSF’s Long COVID Tissue Bank, the world’s first tissue bank with samples donated by patients with long COVID. Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Many interpreted Musk's criticism as disapproval of the gender- and race-focused organizations Scott typically donates to. Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024 Her $189 dress from Macy’s was donated by Ben Proudfoot’s filmmaking company, Breakwater Studios. Ashley Ahn, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 Bloch was a philanthropist who donated millions to cancer research, and her husband was one of the founders of H&R Block. Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 8 Mar. 2024

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.

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from donation

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of donate was in 1785

Dictionary Entries Near donate

Cite this Entry

“Donate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/donate. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

donate

verb
do·​nate ˈdō-ˌnāt How to pronounce donate (audio)
dō-ˈnāt
donated; donating
: to make a gift of : contribute
donate blood
donator
-ˌnāt-ər
-ˈnāt-
noun

Legal Definition

donate

verb
do·​nate
donated; donating

transitive verb

: to transfer by a gift or donation

intransitive verb

: to make a donation compare give, sell

More from Merriam-Webster on donate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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