benefit
something that is advantageous or good; an advantage: He explained the benefits of public ownership of the postal system.
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.
a theatrical performance or other public entertainment to raise money for a charitable organization or cause.
Archaic. an act of kindness; good deed; benefaction.
to do good to; be of service to: a health program to benefit everyone.
to derive benefit or advantage; profit; make improvement: He has never benefited from all that experience.
Idioms about benefit
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.
Origin of benefit
1Other words for benefit
Other words from benefit
- ben·e·fit·er, ben·e·fit·ter, noun
- pre·ben·e·fit, verb, pre·ben·e·fit·ed or pre·ben·e·fit·ted, pre·ben·e·fit·ing or pre·ben·e·fit·ting.
- self-ben·e·fit, noun
- self-ben·e·fit·ing, self-ben·e·fit·ting, adjective
- su·per·ben·e·fit, noun
- un·ben·e·fit·ed, un·ben·e·fit·ted, adjective
- un·ben·e·fit·ing, un·ben·e·fit·ting, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use benefit in a sentence
The federal government informed Virginia this week that it is halting extended unemployment benefits that are available only when a state meets certain standards for economic hardship.
Feds cut extended unemployment benefits in Virginia as state’s economy improves | Laura Vozzella | November 20, 2020 | Washington PostAshish Jha, dean of Brown University School of Public Health, testified in support of those findings that “dozens of studies” failed to find any benefit to hydroxychloroquine.
Senate holds hearing on hydroxychloroquine, despite no evidence it works against covid-19 | Marisa Iati | November 20, 2020 | Washington PostIf you buy shampoo bars, but need to use ten times as much water to get the suds out of your hair, you may end up cancelling out the benefits of reduced packaging and shipping weight.
Trying to shop sustainably? Here’s what you need to consider. | Sarah Kaplan | November 20, 2020 | Washington PostA bit like masks, you won’t get much benefit from the exposure alerts unless the people around you also have them turned on.
A covid-fighting tool is buried in your phone. Turn it on. | Geoffrey Fowler | November 20, 2020 | Washington PostLast year the FECA program paid about $3 billion in benefits to more than 200,000 people.
Nearly 3,500 federal workers to get benefits for contracting the coronavirus at work | Eric Yoder | November 20, 2020 | Washington Post
How did this track with Avicii, “Divine Sorrow,” benefiting the RED campaign to fight AIDS come about?
Wyclef Jean Talks Lauryn Hill, the Yele Haiti Controversy, and Chris Christie | Marlow Stern | November 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWhat the articles failed to mention was that it is only the extremely rich who were not benefiting from these policies.
What Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff Can Teach Hillary Clinton | Heather Arnet | October 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWas Gazprom or the Russian economy benefiting from its gas dispute with Ukraine?
Total receipts were $9,501,795, with expenses of $9,447,467 and $381,098 benefiting candidates.
Total receipts were $10,659,371, with expenses of $9,263,753 and $1,027,354 benefiting candidates.
The Pardo and the San Bernadino are societies and homes for benefiting men, women, and children; they have been founded by ladies.
Spanish Life in Town and Country | L. Higgin and Eugne E. StreetPitt hoped to pacify discontent by benefiting Irish trade, and to unite the two countries by a community of interest.
The Political History of England - Vol. X. | William HuntHe cared only to hear what had become of the child whom he had fondly imagined himself to be benefiting.
A Life Sentence | Adeline SergeantA beneficent monopoly—consolidation benefiting all—but nevertheless a monopoly.
Blow The Man Down | Holman DayHe was sent to the Britannia principally with the object of benefiting by the change and healthy outdoor life.
The Story of the "Britannia" | E. P. Statham
British Dictionary definitions for benefit
/ (ˈbɛnɪfɪt) /
something that improves or promotes
advantage or sake: this is for your benefit
British
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
any similar allowance in various other countries
(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
a theatrical performance, sports event, etc, to raise money for a charity
to do or receive good; profit
Origin of benefit
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with benefit
see give the benefit.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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