# charity mugger

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/charity-mugger
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A person employed by a charity, or by an intermediary fundraising agency employed by the charity, who stands in the street and invites passersby to set up standing orders or direct debits to make regular donations to the charity.

## Examples

- I avoid the high street because of the charity muggers there.
- A charity mugger stopped me outside the station and asked if I cared about saving the oceans.
- She had grown adept at spotting the bright vests of charity muggers from a distance, weaving through crowds with practiced evasion.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.