benefit

American  

[ben-uh-fit] / ˈbɛn ə fɪt /

noun

• benefits
  plural

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.

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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.

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.

benefit British  

/ 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

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verb

1. to do or receive good; profit

benefit More Idioms  

1. see give the benefit.

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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

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• benefits
  plural

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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. )

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

benefit benefits benefited benefiting benefitted benefitting

Although further research is needed to determine whether such treatments would benefit older adults experiencing cognitive decline, the discovery identifies a potentially valuable therapeutic target.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026

Along the entire coast, public infrastructure that we all benefit from is under threat, including roadways, parks and railroad tracks, and that’s where any public investment ought to go.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

But while she said they must benefit the economy, she said the facilities "must be on our terms".

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

After all, money management can benefit from economies of scale: Research, software, regulatory, legal, accounting and other costs tend to be fixed and can be spread across a larger base as assets grow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Until March 14, the stock market had given the big Wall Street firms the benefit of the doubt.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

If future human studies confirm the benefits seen in animals, DT-109 could offer a new therapeutic option for patients with severe fatty liver disease while potentially addressing cardiovascular complications as well.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026

However, Lane said there will be benefits to the decommissioning of the captive bird collection.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Plus, some HSA benefits become more relevant as Boomers age.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

It leaves open how the resulting benefits will be shared among customers, suppliers and shareholders.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

But he had also spent those same years marveling at the benefits that accrued to anyone willing to pose for posterity in the mythical mode.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

It was important to them that if they were going to tell a story about Puerto Rico that was also shot in Puerto Rico, that Puerto Ricans on the island actually benefited from the production.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Many have benefited from regulatory decisions and government contracts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Those who already owned a home and held on to it through the downturn benefited enormously from the rise in property values that followed.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

The sport's elite clubs and players have benefited from investment and visibility, yet much of the global workforce remains vulnerable.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

As nearly as I could tell, Right was what benefited you, and anything which did you harm was Wrong.

From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood

The charity said in its early years it gave financial support to a number of larger community projects benefiting children but there was now an increasing focus on helping individual children and families.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Its work aims to improve understanding of common diseases and translate laboratory discoveries into new approaches to treatment, benefiting patients in Singapore and internationally.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

“Many people have reservations about this scenario. After all, your son-in-law or daughter-in-law could remarry and the assets you worked a lifetime to accumulate could end up benefiting their new spouse.”

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

Downward revisions were most pronounced in countries that face stronger inflationary pressures without benefiting from the tech boom, the fund said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

So have the early researchers, like Dr. Strayer, who were often sailing against headwinds generated by the corporations and profiteers benefiting from connected drivers.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Meanwhile, Hosseini noted that logic chips, such as central processing units, have also benefitted from rising average prices, though “recent trends suggest a period of stabilization.”

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026

Bitcoin has, along with gold and silver, also benefitted from the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Ghana has been spearheading a global campaign for institutions and nations across the world that benefitted from the slave trade to pay reparations.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

"If we had started this years ago, everyone would have benefitted," he said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

Newcomen must have benefitted from either Savery’s or Papin’s expertise.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

As Alonso's rivals went into the pits, the Spaniard, benefitting from the reduced gaps caused by the safety car, moved up the field and went on to win the race.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

Meanwhile, groups such as his are benefitting from the government brain drain.

From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026

He expects the array of industries and companies benefitting from the AI boom to continue broadening out in the months ahead.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026

Michael also overtook Oppenheimer despite Noan's film benefitting from the viral "Barbenheimer" phenomenon in the summer of 2023.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

Too many years ago, the United States had offered to provide most of the funds for a "little TVA" on the river, benefitting both Israel and Jordan alike.

From The Golden Judge by Kelly Freas

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