# donated

/ˈdoʊˌneɪtɪd/ (US) · /dəʊnˈeɪtɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/donated
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. gave to charity

verb · CEFR B1

gave money, goods, or time to help a charity or a person in need.

For teachers: the past tense of 'donate', indicating the voluntary transfer of assets or services to a charitable entity without expectation of payment.

- Last year, the local business donated five thousand dollars to the children's hospital.
- The philanthropist donated a significant portion of his private collection to the national gallery, ensuring the public could access these rare masterpieces.

Usage: Often takes the preposition 'to' followed by the recipient.

### 2. given for free

adjective · CEFR B2

describes something that was given for free rather than bought.

For teachers: referring to items or funds that have been provided through a donation; typically used as an attributive adjective.

- The charity shop sells donated clothes to raise money for the homeless.
- The relief effort relied entirely on donated medical supplies, which were distributed to the clinics most affected by the flood.

Usage: Usually appears before the noun it describes.

## Examples

- She donated her old books to the local library.
- Last winter, the local community donated over five hundred coats to help families in need during the cold snap.
- The philanthropist donated a significant portion of his estate to medical research, specifically targeting rare diseases that receive little government funding.

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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.