Meaning & use
a good deed
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Meaning
phrasecountable
An action that is kind, helpful, or morally right, often done to benefit others without expecting a reward.
Grammar: Countable: 'a good deed', 'two good deeds'. Often used with 'do': 'do a good deed'.
Patterns
- do a good deed
- perform a good deed
- a good deed for someone
Helping the old lady cross the street was a good deed.
He believes that doing a good deed every day makes the world better.
She considered volunteering at the shelter a good deed.
Word forms
| plural | good deeds |
|---|
Common combinations
- do a good deed
- I try to do a good deed at least once a week.
- a good deed for the day
- You've done your good deed for the day; now relax.
- perform a good deed
- The charity encourages people to perform good deeds for strangers.
- a small good deed
- Even a small good deed can brighten someone's day.
Synonyms and how they differ
- good turn
- A more informal British expression for a helpful act, often in 'do someone a good turn'.
- kind act
- A neutral phrase that focuses on kindness rather than moral goodness.
Opposites
Word family
- good deed noun
- The phrase itself; also used as a compound noun.
Commonly confused: a good deed or good will?
a good deed vs good will
Good will is a feeling of kindness or a business asset; a good deed is a specific action.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'a good deed' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct verb is 'do': you do a good deed. The other verbs do not collocate with 'deed' in this sense.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a good deed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.