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Generous

adj. kind, joyful warm

What it means

Meaning 1

Willing to share time, attention, credit, or resources freely.

Reach for it when praising a person's giving conduct or character

The generous editor explained every change and shared praise with the whole team.

Meaning 2

Larger or more plentiful than the minimum needed.

Reach for it when describing an amount, portion, estimate, or space as comfortably ample

The plan includes a generous margin for weather delays.

Words to choose between 8

By register, from playful at the top to literary at the bottom, and by meaning across. Tap a word to see when it fits.
Meaning 1Meaning 2
everyday
warm
professional
formal
literary

Meaning 1: Willing to share time, attention, credit, or resources freely.

  • warm

    giving

    Fits when sharing with others is a consistent personality trait

    Careful Giving is less natural for praise about sharing credit or interpretation.

  • warm

    selfless

    Fits when someone puts another's needs before personal benefit

    Careful Selfless is a stronger moral claim and can erase healthy boundaries.

  • formal

    charitable

    Fits when aid to people in need is the context

    Careful Charitable can sound institutional or patronizing in a personal compliment.

  • literary

    openhanded

    Fits when material generosity is especially abundant

    Careful It focuses on gifts and money, not patient attention.

Meaning 2: Larger or more plentiful than the minimum needed.

  • everyday

    hearty

    Fits when food portions or welcome feel abundant and warm

    Careful Hearty is unsuitable for a budget allowance or spatial margin.

  • professional

    ample

    Fits when there is comfortably enough quantity or time

    Careful Ample is neutral and does not carry the welcome abundance of generous.

  • professional

    substantial

    Fits when the amount is notably large and consequential

    Careful Substantial may sound burdensome rather than positively abundant.

  • formal

    liberal

    Fits when a measure or application is deliberately plentiful

    Careful The political meaning can distract readers outside established phrases.

Opposites 4

  • selfish
  • stingy
  • meager
  • insufficient

Common phrases 3

  • generous person

    A generous person, Rui made time for every new volunteer.

  • generous offer

    The landlord made a generous offer to extend the deadline.

  • generous portion

    Each guest received a generous portion of vegetable stew.

Word family 1

Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated