generous
adjective
gen·er·ous
ˈje-nə-rəs 
ˈjen-rə-
1
a
: liberal in giving : openhanded
a generous benefactor
b
: marked by abundance or ample proportions
wide overhangs and generous verandas—
Lewis Mumford
: copious
Lewis Mumforda thin salt-and-pepper moustache interrupted by a generous nose—Richard Zabel
Richard Zabel
c
: characterized by a noble or kindly spirit : magnanimous, kindly
a generous heart
2
archaic
: highborn
generously
adverb
generousness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of generous in a Sentence
The school raised the money through donations from generous alumni.
He was generous with both his time and his money.
She has always been very generous toward the poor.
This restaurant is known for its generous portions.
a generous helping of mashed potatoes
She has a generous heart.
He has generous sympathy for unemployed workers.
Recent Examples on the Web
While the garlic cools, bring 2 to 3 cups water and a generous pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan.
—Kelly Brant, arkansasonline.com, 28 Jan. 2025
The property encompasses a generous 8,600 square feet of land.
—Bay Area Home Report, The Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2025
In the coming days and weeks the absolute priority needs to be immediate and generous humanitarian assistance from the international community.
—Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Standout benefits: The Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students card has one of the most generous intro APR offers available on a student credit card.
—Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for generous 
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.
Kelly Brant, arkansasonline.com, 28 Jan. 2025
The property encompasses a generous 8,600 square feet of land.
—Bay Area Home Report, The Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2025
In the coming days and weeks the absolute priority needs to be immediate and generous humanitarian assistance from the international community.
—Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Standout benefits: The Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students card has one of the most generous intro APR offers available on a student credit card.
—Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for generous
Dictionary Entries Near generous
Cite this Entry
“Generous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/generous. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
generous
adjective
gen·er·ous
ˈjen-(ə-)rəs
generously
adverb
generousness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share