beneficial

[ben-uh-fish-uh l]

See more synonyms for beneficial on Thesaurus.com

adjective

conferring benefit; advantageous; helpful: the beneficial effect of sunshine.
Law.
1. helpful in the meeting of needs: a beneficial association.
2. involving the personal enjoyment of proceeds: a beneficial owner.

Origin of beneficial

1425–75; late Middle English < Late Latin beneficiālis, equivalent to Latin benefici(um) kindness (see benefice) + -ālis -al¹

Related formsben·e·fi·cial·ly, adverbben·e·fi·cial·ness, nounnon·ben·e·fi·cial, adjectivenon·ben·e·fi·cial·ly, adverbnon·ben·e·fi·cial·ness, nounqua·si-ben·e·fi·cial, adjectivequa·si-ben·e·fi·cial·ly, adverbun·ben·e·fi·cial, adjectiveun·ben·e·fi·cial·ly, adverbun·ben·e·fi·cial·ness, noun

Can be confusedbeneficent beneficial benevolent

Synonyms

See more synonyms for beneficial on Thesaurus.com

1. salutary, wholesome, serviceable, useful, favorable, profitable.

Antonyms

1. harmful.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for beneficial

Contemporary Examples

“We can try to improve things that are beneficial to Turkers,” Milland added.
Amazon’s Turkers Kick Off the First Crowdsourced Labor Guild
Kevin Zawacki
December 3, 2014
So the idea that inclusion of gay characters in media is beneficial is well established.
Popular Novelist Ken Follett Is a Slightly Unlikely and Certainly Unsung Gay Icon
William O’Connor
October 1, 2014
The review also notes that sucralose could potentially harm the beneficial bacteria in our gut.
Are Artificial Sweeteners Wrecking Your Diet?
DailyBurn
September 30, 2014
Diversification was as beneficial in financial investments as it was in growing crops and raising livestock.
‘The Harness Maker’s Dream:’ The Unlikely Ranch King of Texas
Nick Kotz
September 20, 2014
Why do you think psychedelics are so beneficial in helping Vets with PTD?
Psychedelics Are Ready for a Comeback
Abby Haglage
September 8, 2014

Historical Examples

But one of them, the distraction of seeing the world, is innocent and beneficial.
A Treatise on Parents and Children
George Bernard Shaw
It was very certain that the exercise he was giving his brain must be beneficial.
Her Father's Daughter
Gene Stratton-Porter
Its effects were, however, beneficial to the villagers who survived.
English Villages
P. H. Ditchfield
He did not see the beauty, the nobleness of it, nor yet its beneficial power.
My Double Life
Sarah Bernhardt
Medicine may have a bad taste, and yet have beneficial results.
One Day's Courtship
Robert Barr

British Dictionary definitions for beneficial

beneficial

adjective

(sometimes foll by to) causing a good result; advantageous
law entitling a person to receive the profits or proceeds of propertya beneficial interest in land

Derived Formsbeneficially, adverb

Word Origin

C15: from Late Latin beneficiālis, from Latin beneficium kindness

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for beneficial

adj.

mid-15c., "helpful, advantageous," from Middle French bénéficial and directly from Latin beneficialis "pertaining to a favor," from beneficium (see benefice). Related: Beneficially.

beneficial

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}beneficial

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples from the Web for beneficial

Contemporary Examples

“We can try to improve things that are beneficial to Turkers,” Milland added.

So the idea that inclusion of gay characters in media is beneficial is well established.

The review also notes that sucralose could potentially harm the beneficial bacteria in our gut.

Diversification was as beneficial in financial investments as it was in growing crops and raising livestock.

Why do you think psychedelics are so beneficial in helping Vets with PTD?

Historical Examples

But one of them, the distraction of seeing the world, is innocent and beneficial.

It was very certain that the exercise he was giving his brain must be beneficial.

Its effects were, however, beneficial to the villagers who survived.

He did not see the beauty, the nobleness of it, nor yet its beneficial power.

Medicine may have a bad taste, and yet have beneficial results.

beneficial

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for beneficial

adj.

Origin of beneficial