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
- bighearted
- bounteous
- bountiful
- charitable
- free
- freehanded
- freehearted
- fulsome
- liberal
- munificent
- open
- openhanded
- unselfish
- unsparing
- unstinting
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web The salon is generous, with large rectangular windows that bathe it in light. Kevin Koenig, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2022 Beyoncé's Instagram timeline has been a series of gifts to fans ever since her seventh studio album Renaissance was released, and her post on Friday is even more generous. Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 20 Aug. 2022 The less-potent i4 eDrive40 is a bit more generous, delivering 301 miles on 18-inch wheels and 282 miles on 19-inch wheels. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 6 Aug. 2022 The Recording Academy is far more generous nowadays (perhaps to a fault). Paul Grein, Billboard, 3 Aug. 2022 While headroom is generous with the roof installed, passenger legroom is shallow due to the packaging of the HVAC system. Carlos Lago, Car and Driver, 31 July 2022 For his part, FTX founder Bankman-Fried, who has gone on a buying spree as crypto prices fall, says the deal is generous, and that Voyager’s consultants have the most to gain from drawn out bankruptcy proceedings. Marco Quiroz-gutierrez, Fortune, 25 July 2022 Another major plus is that the hoverboard comes with a 1-year limited warranty, which is more generous than what's offered by most of the competition. Zachary Mack, Popular Mechanics, 6 July 2022 Virtual buying has a lot to recommend it: the mattresses are generally cheaper, owing to lower operating costs and more competition; there’s a lot more product to choose from; and the return policies tend to be more generous. Patricia Marx, The New Yorker, 20 June 2022 See More
Kevin Koenig, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2022 Beyoncé's Instagram timeline has been a series of gifts to fans ever since her seventh studio album Renaissance was released, and her post on Friday is even more generous. Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 20 Aug. 2022 The less-potent i4 eDrive40 is a bit more generous, delivering 301 miles on 18-inch wheels and 282 miles on 19-inch wheels. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 6 Aug. 2022 The Recording Academy is far more generous nowadays (perhaps to a fault). Paul Grein, Billboard, 3 Aug. 2022 While headroom is generous with the roof installed, passenger legroom is shallow due to the packaging of the HVAC system. Carlos Lago, Car and Driver, 31 July 2022 For his part, FTX founder Bankman-Fried, who has gone on a buying spree as crypto prices fall, says the deal is generous, and that Voyager’s consultants have the most to gain from drawn out bankruptcy proceedings. Marco Quiroz-gutierrez, Fortune, 25 July 2022 Another major plus is that the hoverboard comes with a 1-year limited warranty, which is more generous than what's offered by most of the competition. Zachary Mack, Popular Mechanics, 6 July 2022 Virtual buying has a lot to recommend it: the mattresses are generally cheaper, owing to lower operating costs and more competition; there’s a lot more product to choose from; and the return policies tend to be more generous. Patricia Marx, The New Yorker, 20 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle French or Latin; Middle French genereus, from Latin generosus, from gener-, genus
First Known Use
1583, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Kids Definition
generous
adjective
gen·er·ous ˈje-nə-rəs
ˈjen-rəs
1
: freely giving or sharing
She was generous with her time.
2
: providing more than enough of what is needed : abundant
a generous supply
generous
adjective
1
as in charitable
giving or sharing in abundance and without hesitation a civic leader who is very generous with his money and time Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- charitable
- benevolent
- munificent
- liberal
- bountiful
- handsome
- unselfish
- kind
- bounteous
- openhanded
- compassionate
- open
- bighearted
- fulsome
- hospitable
- unstinting
- kindly
- unsparing
- lavish
- overgenerous
- free
- magnanimous
- sympathetic
- extravagant
- freehanded
- philanthropic
- profuse
- humanitarian
- altruistic
- big
- beneficent
- freehearted
- openhearted
- philanthropical
- good-hearted
- largehearted
- greathearted
- samaritan
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ungenerous
- stingy
- parsimonious
- miserly
- small
- selfish
- tightfisted
- uncharitable
- penurious
- cheap
- tight
- close
- petty
- niggardly
- thrifty
- frugal
- illiberal
- sparing
- costive
- mean
- spare
- mingy
- chary
- avaricious
- stinting
- covetous
- closefisted
- acquisitive
- envious
- rapacious
- desirous
- grudging
- avid
- hoggish
- begrudging
- resentful
- mercenary
- itchy
- grasping
- stinting
- coveting
2
as in plentiful
being more than enough without being excessive mashed potatoes with a generous serving of butter Synonyms & Similar Words
- plentiful
- ample
- plenty
- enough
- bountiful
- abundant
- sufficient
- bounteous
- adequate
- plenteous
- liberal
- comfortable
- rich
- extra
- all kinds of
- aplenty
- wealthy
- galore
- lavish
- surplus
- cornucopian
- thick on the ground
- prolific
- plump
- copious
- overflowing
- abounding
- teeming
- fruitful
- profuse
- prodigal
- fulsome
- fertile
- blooming
- fecund
- replete
- supernumerary
- rife
- luxuriant
- fat
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- minimal
- inadequate
- insufficient
- scant
- meager
- spare
- lacking
- bare
- deficient
- wanting
- small
- least
- stingy
- meagre
- minimum
- light
- skimpy
- slight
- niggardly
- sterile
- unproductive
- barren
- infertile
- unfruitful
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of generous are bountiful, liberal, and munificent. While all these words mean "giving or given freely and unstintingly," generous stresses warmhearted readiness to give more than size or importance of the gift.
a generous offer of help
The synonyms bountiful and generous are sometimes interchangeable, but bountiful suggests lavish, unremitting giving or providing.
children spoiled by bountiful presents
In some situations, the words liberal and generous are roughly equivalent. However, liberal suggests openhandedness in the giver and largeness in the thing or amount given.
a teacher liberal with her praise
The words munificent and generous can be used in similar contexts, but munificent suggests a scale of giving appropriate to lords or princes.
a munificent foundation grant