benefit

[ben-uh-fit]

noun

1. something that is advantageous or good; an advantage.

   He explained the benefits of public ownership of the postal system.

   Synonyms: profit, gain, boon

2. a payment or gift, as one made to help someone or given by an employer, an insurance company, or a public agency.

   The company offers its employees a pension plan, free health insurance, and other benefits.

3. a theatrical performance or other public entertainment to raise money for a charitable organization or cause.

4. Archaic.,  an act of kindness; good deed; benefaction.

verb (used with object)

benefited, benefitted, benefiting, benefitting. 

1. to do good to; be of service to.

   a health program to benefit everyone.

verb (used without object)

benefited, benefitted, benefiting, benefitting. 

1. to derive benefit or advantage; profit; make improvement.

   He has never benefited from all that experience.

benefit

/ ˈbɛnɪfɪt /

noun

1. something that improves or promotes

2. advantage or sake

   this is for your benefit

3. 1. an allowance paid by the government as for sickness, unemployment, etc, to which a person is entitled under social security or the national insurance scheme

   2. any similar allowance in various other countries

4. (sometimes plural) a payment or series of payments made by an institution, such as an insurance company or trade union, to a person who is ill, unemployed, etc

5. a theatrical performance, sports event, etc, to raise money for a charity

verb

1. to do or receive good; profit

Other Word Forms

• benefiter noun
• benefitter noun
• prebenefit verb
• self-benefit noun
• self-benefiting adjective
• self-benefitting adjective
• superbenefit noun
• unbenefited adjective
• unbenefitted adjective
• unbenefiting adjective
• unbenefitting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of benefit¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; late Middle English noun benefytt, benefett, alteration (with Latinized first syllable) of Middle English b(i)enfet, benefait, from Anglo-French benfet, Middle French bienfait, from Latin benefactum “good deed”; bene- ( def. ), fact ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of benefit¹

C14: from Anglo-French benfet , from Latin benefactum , from bene facere to do well

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. for someone's benefit, so as to produce a desired effect in another's mind.

   He wasn't really angry; that was just an act for his girlfriend's benefit.

see give the benefit.

Example Sentences

He pledged "serious" cuts to the benefits bill and made the bold claim that he could "stop the boats within two weeks".

From BBC

In his conference speech on Friday, Nigel Farage also pledged to cut welfare spending, but did not lay out any specifics about which benefits would be targeted and by how much,

From BBC

Air Force veteran Robert Canas said he is unable to access his vocational benefits for fear of losing his housing.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s hard to square those benefits with the fact that HHS and NIH have named the planned new universal vaccine platform “Generation Gold Standard,” insisting that it represents a new standard in science and transparency.

From Salon

She has been involved with the foodbanks for six years and seen how things like the pandemic, changes to the benefit system and the war in Ukraine have affected them.

From BBC

Related Words

• advance 
• aid 
• assist 
• contribute to www.thesaurus.com
• enhance 
• favor 
• further 
• help 
• improve 
• pay 
• pay off 
• promote 
• serve 

When To Use

What are other ways to say benefit?

A benefit is something that is advantageous or good. When should you use benefit instead of advantage or profit? Find out on Thesaurus.com.