no good deed ever goes unpunished

A form of no good deed goes unpunished — Actions of generosity often go unappreciated or are met with outright hostility or demands for further work.

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Meanings

proverb
  1. alternativeAlternative form of no good deed goes unpunished.
Cite this entry
APA

no good deed ever goes unpunished. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/no%20good%20deed%20ever%20goes%20unpunished

MLA

“no good deed ever goes unpunished.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/no%20good%20deed%20ever%20goes%20unpunished. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “no good deed ever goes unpunished,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/no%20good%20deed%20ever%20goes%20unpunished.

Source: no good deed ever goes unpunished on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.