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Magnanimity

n. kind, thoughtful formal

What it means

Generosity of spirit toward a rival, critic, or person over whom one has an advantage.

Reach for it when recognizing gracious conduct when retaliation, boasting, or pettiness would have been easy

Her magnanimity was clearest when she invited her former opponent to help lead the project.

Words to choose between 9

By register, from playful at the top to literary at the bottom. Tap a word to see when it fits.
warm
professional
formal
literary

  • warm

    big-heartedness

    Suits emotionally generous treatment in personal language

    Careful Its conversational warmth clashes with a legal, diplomatic, or ceremonial context.

  • warm

    generosity

    Fits when giving time, credit, money, or goodwill is the main action

    Careful Generosity includes many giving acts without any rival, offender, or restraint.

  • warm

    graciousness

    Suits considerate behavior in victory, disagreement, or social strain

    Careful Graciousness can describe polished manners without the moral largeness of magnanimity.

  • professional

    fair-mindedness

    Fits when someone judges an opponent's case without bias

    Careful Fair-mindedness promises balance but not the generosity that goes beyond fairness.

  • formal

    clemency

    Fits when a person with authority reduces a deserved penalty

    Careful Clemency requires power over punishment and does not fit ordinary peer disagreements.

  • formal

    forbearance

    Fits when someone chooses not to punish, answer, or retaliate

    Careful Forbearance emphasizes restraint, not active generosity or praise for the other side.

  • literary

    charity

    Fits when interpreting another person's motives with kindness

    Careful Charity can be mistaken for financial aid or religious virtue.

  • literary

    largeness of spirit

    Fits when the praise needs to name emotional and moral breadth

    Careful This elevated phrase sounds excessive for a small courtesy.

  • literary

    nobility

    Fits when conduct reflects elevated principles rather than self-interest

    Careful Nobility can sound grandiose and historically class-bound in everyday praise.

Opposites 3

  • pettiness
  • vindictiveness
  • spite

Common phrases 3

  • show magnanimity

    The captain chose to show magnanimity after the disputed final.

  • act of magnanimity

    Sharing the award was an act of magnanimity, not an admission of doubt.

  • magnanimity in victory

    Magnanimity in victory earned more respect than the score itself.

Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated