beneficence
Doing good deeds
Beneficence is the quality of doing good or the act of conferring benefits on others.
The word carries a formal, often institutional tone—appearing in discussions of ethics, philanthropy, and medical practice: The hospital's beneficence toward the community was recognized with an award.
Where benevolence emphasizes kind feelings, beneficence emphasizes kind actions.
Prioritizing others over oneself
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- nobleTitled or virtuous
- unselfishPrioritizing others over oneself
- prosocialBenefiting society or others
magnanimity · generosity · humanitarianism · service · volunteerism · caregiving · ethical · moral
Voluntary charitable gift
- givingTransferring to another
- charityVoluntary aid for others
- endowmentPermanent donated fund
- bequestGift left by will
contribution · grants · funding · patronage · scholarship · legacy · pledge · subsidy
Concern for others' distress
- empathySharing another's emotions
- caringShowing kind concern
- gentlenessSoft, kind demeanor
- warmthHeat you feel
tenderness · mercy · consideration · sympathy · graciousness · courtesy · solicitude · understanding
Support given freely
- reliefEasing of distress
- developmentProgress toward maturity
- advocacyPleading for a cause
- shelterProtected place or structure
sanitation · education · healthcare · refugees · peacekeeping · reconstruction · sustainability · resilience
Disposition toward harmony
- cordialitySincere friendly warmth
- friendlinessWarm, welcoming disposition
- harmonyAgreement or musical blend
- fellowshipMutual goodwill among companions
hospitality · neighborliness · sincerity · welcoming · openness · congeniality · graciousness · good-naturedness
selflessness
Prioritizing others over oneself
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- nobleTitled or virtuous
- unselfishPrioritizing others over oneself
prosocial · magnanimity · generosity · humanitarianism · service · volunteerism · caregiving · ethical · moral · idealism
donation
Voluntary charitable gift
bequest · contribution · grants · funding · patronage · scholarship · legacy · pledge · subsidy · almsgiving
compassion
Concern for others' distress
- empathySharing another's emotions
- caringShowing kind concern
- gentlenessSoft, kind demeanor
warmth · tenderness · mercy · consideration · sympathy · graciousness · courtesy · solicitude · understanding · patience
aid
Support given freely
- reliefEasing of distress
- developmentProgress toward maturity
- advocacyPleading for a cause
shelter · sanitation · education · healthcare · refugees · peacekeeping · reconstruction · sustainability · resilience · outreach
amicability
Disposition toward harmony
- cordialitySincere friendly warmth
- friendlinessWarm, welcoming disposition
- harmonyAgreement or musical blend
fellowship · hospitality · neighborliness · sincerity · welcoming · openness · congeniality · graciousness · good-naturedness · approachability
- medicinedoctor, doctors, hospital, medicine, surgery
- valuesvalue, honesty, worth, fairness, morals
- compassionsympathy, empathy, caring, kindness, tenderness
- virtuesintegrity, honesty, justice, courage, fairness
- bioethicsbioethics, medical ethics, genetic engineering, non-maleficence, physician-assisted death
- ethicsmorality, deontology, dignity, sanctity of life, utilitarianism
beneficencemaleficence
Deliberate causing of harm
malevolence · maliciousness · malice · spitefulness · ill will
beneficencecruelty
Deliberate harm-causing disposition
heartlessness · cold-heartedness · callousness · hard-heartedness · inhumanity
beneficencemeanness
Spiteful, unkind disposition
stinginess · miserliness · unkindness · unkindliness · selfishness