SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
altruism
noun
Concern for others' welfare without seeking personal gain.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Unselfish concern
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topGenerosity can have mixed motives; altruism specifically emphasizes others' welfare.
RELATED FORMS, ONE FEATURED ENTRY
The altruistic family
altruism is grouped under altruistic in the main dictionaries. This form keeps its meaning and previous study record.
altruisticadjective
Motivated by concern for others rather than personal gain.
Concerned for others
Closest synonyms
Related expressions
The volunteers described their work as an altruistic commitment.
An affluent graduate offered supplies from her well-funded studio, and the group described the gift as altruistic because she sought no payment, publicity, or special access in return.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See altruism in use
Her quiet help with the move was an act of altruism.
A repair workshop depended on volunteers whose altruism led them to give time without expecting a personal reward.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license