pro bono

[proh boh-noh] / ˌproʊ ˈboʊ noʊ /

ADJECTIVE

without compensation

Synonyms

WEAK

done for free done without compensation for the public good

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He provides pro bono representation in animal-rights cases.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Mark Rosenbaum, an attorney at the pro bono law firm Public Counsel, helped secure the 1986 court order.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

Gil found a Santa Fe firm and got legal help pro bono.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

Hill claimed to be working pro bono, although the center’s IRS filings revealed hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees, and on one occasion he invented a phone conversation with me that never happened.

From Salon • Feb. 22, 2026

Realizing that I barely had enough money to pay for school supplies, let alone legal expenses, John suggested soliciting a big law firm because sometimes they do work pro bono.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers