do-gooder

do-gooder

One who is very interested in social reform and helping others. The term is often used pejoratively to suggest that such a person is naïve and their efforts futile. I know you're a do-gooder, but how many people do you really think you'll be able to help on such a small scale?
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

do-gooder

(ˈdugʊdɚ)
n. a person who is always trying to help others. (Often derogatory.) I don’t consider myself a do-gooder, but I try to help people.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • dude-bro
  • be born yesterday
  • turnip
  • fall off the cabbage truck
  • fall off the turnip truck
  • just fell off the turnip truck
  • big-boy pants
  • big-girl pants
  • starry
  • starry-eyed
References in periodicals archive
But that is not the concern of the human rights/asylum seeker do-gooder, that is the preserve of the overseas aid do-gooder and a completely different matter.
"After speaking to the guard, and explaining to the man that people are seriously injured and die doing this, I was told by the not-so responsible adult that I was a do-gooder and the lad just wanted to look at the track.
[USA] July 22 ( ANI ): Turns out, sometimes, it doesn't pay to be a do-gooder.
The action becomes darker with the arrival of the do-gooder Melvin P.
I SEE yet again that a remark by someone, that could be and usually is, deemed inappropriate by the woolly-minded do-gooder brigade, is given much publicity, and the vilification of that person that follows (by the aforementioned brigade) knows no limit.
Imagine the state of mind you must have to consider "do-gooder" an insult.
When you feel the need to call somebody a 'do-gooder', it is because you know they are right but you want to do the thing that is wrong.
This time next week we might see this Boomtown Rat scurrying off the Remain sinking ship on to any passing do-gooder lifeboat.
During a stopover in Shannon, Ireland, on his way to visit Israel, Rechnitz, a healthcare businessman and serial do-gooder in the Jewish community, noticed hundreds of U.S.
The Irish singer and musical do-gooder returns to Dubai's Irish Village for his annual performance on Friday, March 13.
The overseas aids bill last year was PS11.4 billion, a colossal amount of money when there are needs here, and before any do-gooder replies, charity does begin at home, A Tory MP has called his own government "idiots" for borrowing money to give away to other countries.
In casting news, Welsh actor Jonathan Pryce is joining the show as High Sparrow, who might be the only actual do-gooder in King's Landing.
"I'm not a do-gooder but I was born in Now he shies away from life's luxuries and instead of gifts for his 95th birthday, he Durham and love the requested donations be made to Durham Cathedral's LEGO Cathedral project.
On second thoughts, maybe that would land our country before some obscure, do-gooder internal human rights court because, surely, such cruelty would constitute an extreme from of torture.
It's a tad Bono-esque-dripping with self-satisfaction and the requisite name-dropping--but 40 Chances is easy-reading earnestness from a dedicated do-gooder.--Tom Philpott