What Is A Word To Describe Someone Who Helps Others?

Vocabulary / By

Descriptive words can add depth to your speech or your writing, and so can synonyms. When looking for a word to describe someone who helps others, one of the most concise words you can use is altruistic. 

Understanding the meaning of altruistic can also help you know how to use it, while also helping you discover even more ways to describe an altruistic person.

What Does Altruistic Mean?

An altruistic person is someone who takes great satisfaction in providing assistance to other people. They will often go out of their way to help people in any way they are able to. An altruistic person also has a genuine passion for being of service to other people.

It is also said that an altruistic person is also someone who puts others’ needs and interests before their own, even sometimes to their own detriment. While it’s not ideal for someone to neglect their needs, it speaks to the caring nature of an altruistic person to go without so that others have what they need.

Examples Of Altruistic In A Sentence

A few examples of the word altruistic in a sentence are:

Sally was an altruistic person in life, dedicating much of her free time down at soup kitchens or fundraising events. 

He is altruistic, but he needs to take care of himself too. 

Her willingness to share her expertise in the medical field with nursing students is just one example of how altruistic Mary is. 

Synonyms For Altruistic

There are many other words you can use in place of altruistic that mean the same thing, such as:

  • Compassionate
  • Selfless
  • Philanthropic
  • Generous
  • Public-spirited
  • Charitable
  • Benevolent
  • Humanitarian
  • Considerate

Some of the words above that would most closely mean the same thing as altruistic would be humanitarian, public-spirited, or philanthropic. These are people who will dedicate their time in numerous ways to help other people.

Conclusion

No one would disagree that a person who helps others is a good person. There are many positive attributes that can be associated with a helpful person, as well as many endearing terms and words we can use to describe such a good person who helps others.

An altruistic person is someone who helps without a hidden agenda or need for praise. They help out of the kindness of their own hearts. A person with bad intentions would be the opposite of altruistic, such as performative or selfish.

 

Conor
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