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

Hayden Hashimoto, an attorney at Clean Air Task Force, meanwhile said "the public health and economic benefits of the current standard are tangible."

Read more on Barron's

The best bet comes in the form of Wednesday’s release of the Beige Book and ongoing data around the number of Americans filing for initial unemployment benefits.

Read more on Barron's

By postponing saving for retirement, people have less time to save and lack the benefit of compound growth, reducing their overall retirement savings and making them more likely to outlive their money as longevity increases.

Read more on MarketWatch

Students would benefit from tech outside the classroom yet still have an incentive to learn because they face old-school, in-class exams.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But the video shoot may have had unexpected benefits for the players who participated.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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.