endowment

noun

in-ˈdau̇-mənt How to pronounce endowment (audio)
Definition of endowmentnext
as in talent
a special and usually inborn ability it's a sin to waste one's God-given endowments

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of endowment Rather than funding a single program, the donation from the Dimons flows into permanent endowments, which UNCF argues gives schools the freedom to plan for decades instead of scrambling to find donations year to year. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026 Waqf— an irrevocable endowment under Islamic law — can endow health, education, and other public goods over generations; they can’t be dismantled unlike government aid budgets. — Alaa Murabit, STAT, 20 Aug. 2026 Its operating agreement with the city ended last year and a judge granted a preliminary injunction blocking GLAZA from retaining or distributing the endowment fund. — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026 Lehigh University is a selective Pennsylvania institution with a national reputation and a $2 billion endowment. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for endowment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for endowment
  1. talent
  2. gift
  3. aptitude
  4. knack
Noun
  • During his seven-year tenure at the agency, Caoduro advised leading international fashion and luxury brands across global communications, media and corporate strategy and talent engagement.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Ultimately, genetics and talent establish the ceiling, but the evidence suggests a supportive sibling ecosystem helps alchemize raw potential into greatness, and the sibling that benefits most is the one that comes later.
    — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of talent
Noun
  • To be with people of different ages, races, and experiences is a gift.
    — Gloria Steinem, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Two summers ago, the internet received the gift of Raygun, an Australian breakdancer who kangaroo-hopped her way into the 2024 Paris Olympics.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of gift
Noun
  • This position — especially once assistant head coach Frank Smith arrived — requires immense mental aptitude.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • How could King draw with such aptitude and still struggle to talk?
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of aptitude
Noun
  • As Heather Brown reports, Harper's family says the fifth grader had a knack for making every day count.
    — Heather Brown, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Once again, the artist brought her knack for publicity to bear, as the performances frequently drew a police presence and thus, subsequently, that of the press.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of knack

Browse Nearby Words

endowing
endowment
endowments
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Endowment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/endowment. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on endowment

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about endowment

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All