benefit
Americannoun
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benefits
plural
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something that is advantageous or good; an advantage.
He explained the benefits of public ownership of the postal system.
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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.
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a theatrical performance or other public entertainment to raise money for a charitable organization or cause.
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Archaic. an act of kindness; good deed; benefaction.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
idioms
noun
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something that improves or promotes
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advantage or sake
this is for your benefit
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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
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any similar allowance in various other countries
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(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
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a theatrical performance, sports event, etc, to raise money for a charity
verb
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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benefiternoun
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benefitternoun
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self-benefitnoun
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superbenefitnoun
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prebenefitverb
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self-benefitingadjective
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self-benefittingadjective
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unbenefitedadjective
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unbenefitingadjective
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unbenefittedadjective
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unbenefittingadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of benefit
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”; see bene- ( def. ), fact ( def. )
Explanation
A benefit is something that helps you, whether in the form of health insurance provided by an employer, welfare given by the government to those in need, or the benefit of the doubt extended to you by a friend. The Latin bene- "good" is at the heart of the word benefit, which derives from the Latin benefactum "good deed." When attendance at a party or an event raises money for a charity, the event is referred to as a benefit in that charity's honor.
Vocabulary lists containing benefit
Take the Bad with the Good: Bene and Mal
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Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 11-20
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"The Perils of Indifference," Vocabulary from the speech
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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.
See Examples For:
Expand will also benefit from the company’s rights to use pipelines and storage tanks across the region, making it easier to secure supply agreements with large consumers such as data centers and utilities, Sorbara said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
As for the 45-day rule, that too can get complicated, but in ways that might benefit you.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
In addition to protecting nerve cells and supporting mitochondrial function, the compound appeared to benefit the heart and affect some signs of aging in the mice.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026
Jefferies’s report highlights that replicating the global success of K-Beauty will be difficult, as Korean beauty brands benefit from strong consumer trust, product innovation, digital engagement and the influence of K-Pop and Korean dramas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
Sure, I’m busy helping him, but I’m getting benefit from it too.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
The benefits to companies could include lower auditor fees and less time spent preparing the reports, currently an every-three-month grind for finance teams.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
But the programs that have stuck to the Southland have reaped the benefits.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
It's expensive, he says, but the benefits are "worth every penny".
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
It’s a research-backed model for healthy eating, with wide-ranging health benefits like better brain and heart health, plus a lower risk of cancer and early death.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026
His second set of awards gave out more wage increases and benefits.
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
The demand for formal apologies, debt relief and financial compensation from nations and institutions that benefited from slavery has become increasingly forceful.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Over many decades, homeowners benefited handsomely from leverage, because they were able to borrow cheaply for 30 years at low fixed interest rates.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
They defended the status quo against various liberation movements and labor coalitions, fighting to keep everything as it had always been in service of the people who most benefited from the old arrangement.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Like other producers, Netflix has benefited from improvements to California’s tax incentive program intended to stem so-called runaway production, though Bajaria said the program is not as “comprehensive” as it needs to be.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Imre also benefited by its proximity to the University.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
CoreWeave is broadening its customer base and benefiting from upbeat pricing dynamics, analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Blanche has taken steps to curry Murkowski’s favor in recent months, visiting Alaska and announcing a $400-million settlement benefiting Alaska natives’ healthcare in July.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
The company is benefiting from revised Excelsior Nickel Cobalt project acquisition terms, planned downstream investments and a debt refinancing, says MS.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
China has been able to use less powerful chips to train and run some AI models, but its more advanced versions “are clearly benefiting from Nvidia,” Newman said in emailed comments.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
No one had any doubt that it was not the animals but their owners who were benefiting from the law.
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
"If we had started this years ago, everyone would have benefitted," he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
In the new era of revenue sharing, particularly because of NIL rights, student athletes have benefitted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
The backdrop has Conger’s team underweight on the Magnificent Seven and semiconductors, which have benefitted from the artificial-intelligence spending blitz.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
In spite of its oil wealth, much of its 1.8m population has not benefitted, as poverty remains rampant.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
Although slavery is mostly associated with the American South, the entire country, as it grew, benefitted from the enslavement of people, primarily Africans and African Americans.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
They reason that these chip companies could end up benefitting, even as AI costs go down.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
Meanwhile Chinese brands have been moving aggressively onto international markets, introducing new technologies while benefitting from lower production costs than European rivals.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Vance is still benefitting from “Hillbilly Elegy” as well.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
It was a starry, starry night at Thursday’s sold-out Hollywood Bowl Netflix is a Joke Presents: Night of Too Many Stars epic comic bonanza fundraiser benefitting autism programs nationwide, including Autism Speaks.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026
"We have hyperships now, like my Prowler; we are benefitting from trade with other systems; we are starting out-system colonies ourselves; we have people in the Imperial Services—" "And in the Emperor's own Palace Guard!"
From A Matter of Honor A Terran Empire novel by Ann Wilson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
