humanitarian
Concerned with or seeking to promote human welfare; (as a noun) a person who seeks to promote human welfare.
Emphasizes actions and principles motivated by a concern for human suffering and dignity, often in contexts of disaster, conflict, or poverty, without political or religious bias.
Word relationships
- philanthropic: Philanthropic often relates to charitable giving or efforts, while humanitarian is broader, encompassing direct aid and advocacy for human welfare.
- benevolent: Benevolent describes a kind and generous disposition, while humanitarian describes actions or principles focused on human welfare.
- altruistic: Altruistic describes selfless concern for others, a motivation behind humanitarian actions.
- selfish: Concerned only with oneself, the opposite of humanitarian.
- inhumane: Lacking compassion or kindness, often causing suffering.
Word family
- humanitarianism (noun): The promotion of human welfare.
Collocations
- humanitarian aid
- humanitarian crisis
- humanitarian assistance
- humanitarian organizations
- humanitarian principles
Example sentences
- "Following the earthquake, a massive humanitarian effort was launched to provide food, shelter, and medical assistance to the affected population." Describing aid efforts.
- "She dedicated her life to humanitarian causes, working tirelessly to advocate for human rights and alleviate poverty." Describing a person's character.
Memory hook
Think of 'human' and 'it's for all of them'. It's about helping all humans. Help All Humans
When not to use
Do not use 'humanitarian' for actions motivated by self-interest or political gain, even if they incidentally benefit people.
Fun facts
- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is one of the oldest and most respected humanitarian organizations, founded in 1863.
Related words
Explore more words
humane, philanthropic, philanthropist, benevolent, altruistic, compassionate
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