do-gooder
Well-meaning meddler
A do-gooder is someone who tries to help others or improve society, but the term carries a dismissive or mocking edge—implying the person is naive, self-righteous, or meddlesome: The do-gooders want to ban everything fun.
The word suggests good intentions without practical wisdom, or helpfulness that's more about the helper's self-image than actual results.
One who gives aid
- volunteerUnpaid willing participant
- samaritanCharitable helper of strangers
- humanitarianHelper of suffering people
- philanthropistDonor to charitable causes
helper · caregiver · advocate · patron · charitable · benevolent · kindhearted · selfless
Intrusive meddler
- meddlerOne who interferes uninvited
- bleeding-heartPejoratively soft liberal
- self-righteousSmugly certain of correctness
- holier-than-thouSmugly moralistic toward others
sanctimonious · preachy · goody-goody · goody-two-shoes · smug · patronizing · moralizer · naive
benefactor
One who gives aid
- volunteerUnpaid willing participant
- samaritanCharitable helper of strangers
- humanitarianHelper of suffering people
philanthropist · helper · caregiver · advocate · patron · charitable · benevolent · kindhearted · selfless · compassionate
busybody
Intrusive meddler
- meddlerOne who interferes uninvited
- bleeding-heartPejoratively soft liberal
- self-righteousSmugly certain of correctness
holier-than-thou · sanctimonious · preachy · goody-goody · goody-two-shoes · smug · patronizing · moralizer · naive · interfering
utopian
Impractically perfect in conception
- visionaryImaginative planner of futures
- dreamerOne given to fantasies
- optimistHabitually hopeful person
reformer · crusader · activist · naive · quixotic · principled · purist · romantic · aspirational · progressive
fanatic
Overly zealous person
hardliner · radical · evangelist · proselytizer · fervent · obsessive · diehard · militant · dogmatic · single-minded
- supportersfan, patron, supporters, backers, backer
- Do-goodersvolunteer, activist, humanitarian, philanthropist, altruist
- good peoplesaint, humanitarian, altruist, philanthropist, benefactor
- helpersnurse, helper, volunteer, aide, assistant
- goody two-shoesteacher's pet, suck-up, brown-noser, saint, angel
- idealisticidealist, idealistic, utopian, quixotic, dreamer
do-gooderevildoer
One who causes harm
villain · wrongdoer · malefactor · bad actor · miscreant
do-goodercynic
Doubter of good intentions
misanthrope · nihilist · pessimist · bystander · apathetic
do-gooderegoist
Self-interested person
exploiter · opportunist · profiteer · self-seeker · user