beneficial
Americanadjective
-
conferring benefit; advantageous; helpful.
the beneficial effect of sunshine.
- Synonyms:
- profitable, favorable, useful, serviceable, wholesome, salutary
- Antonyms:
- harmful
-
Law.
-
helpful in the meeting of needs.
a beneficial association.
-
involving the personal enjoyment of proceeds.
a beneficial owner.
-
adjective
-
(sometimes foll by to) causing a good result; advantageous
-
law entitling a person to receive the profits or proceeds of property
a beneficial interest in land
Other Word Forms
- beneficially adverb
- beneficialness noun
- nonbeneficial adjective
- nonbeneficially adverb
- nonbeneficialness noun
- quasi-beneficial adjective
- quasi-beneficially adverb
- unbeneficial adjective
- unbeneficially adverb
- unbeneficialness noun
Etymology
Origin of beneficial
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Late Latin beneficiālis, equivalent to Latin benefici(um) “kindness” ( benefice ( def. ) ) + -ālis -al 1 ( def. )
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.
"In the future, these insights could lead to new therapies that imitate the beneficial effects of exercise on how cells repair damaged DNA and use fuel for energy."
From Science Daily
It added that the planned hike, which has been hotly debated amongst islanders, was not as beneficial to the lowest paid as first hoped due to their tax contributions having risen.
From BBC
Despite their importance, salutogenic microbes, meaning those that support health, and beneficial biochemical compounds have received far less attention than disease-causing organisms.
From Science Daily
On economic ties, Lee has called for South Korea and China to work towards "more horizontal and mutually beneficial" trade.
From Barron's
Sharing time with others is beneficial for all involved.
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.
