Benefit — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈbe-nə-ˌfit/ ben·e·fit

Meaning & Definition of Benefit

Benefit (noun)

  1. something that produces good or helpful results or effects or that promotes well-being, advantage
  2. useful aid, help
  3. financial help in time of sickness, old age, or unemployment

Benefit (verb)

  1. to be useful or profitable to
  2. to receive help or an advantage, to receive benefit

Benefit (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a thing that helps

    "it would be a real benefit if you could keep track of what you have already bought"

    similar: advantage, aid, asset, boon, help
    related: hand, lift, pick-me-up, support, sustenance, blessing, godsend, windfall, recourse, refuge, resort, resource
    opposite: disadvantage, drawback, encumbrance, hindrance, impediment, minus
    near: constraint, inhibitor, liability, obstacle, obstruction, restraint, stranglehold

  2. something that provides happiness or does good for a person or thing

    "the meal service is a great benefit to invalids and the elderly"

    similar: benediction, blessing, boon, felicity, godsend, good, manna, windfall
    related: grace, mercy, favor, kindness, mitzvah, advantage, aid, assistance, gift, help, relief, support, anodyne, comfort, consolation, solace, bonus, extra, lagniappe, delight, joy, pleasure
    opposite: affliction, bane, curse, evil, plague, scourge
    near: hex, hoodoo, jinx, bother, irritant, nuisance, pest, disadvantage, cross, misery, trial, tribulation

Benefit (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to provide with something useful or desirable

    "his summer internship benefited him in two ways: by giving him some tuition funds and by offering vital work experience"

    similar: advantage, avail, help, profit, serve
    related: succeed, work (for), aid, assist, better, improve, content, delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy, bless
    near: hinder, impede, damage, harm, hurt, impair, injure, afflict, distress, upset

Related Entry: Fringe benefit (noun)

Fringe benefit is a different word from Benefit. The synonyms below are for fringe benefit, not for benefit.

  1. something extra (such as vacation time) that is given by an employer to workers in addition to their regular pay

    "The company offered extensive fringe benefits to recruit the most qualified employees."

    similar: benefit, bonus, cumshaw, dividend, donative, extra, gratuity, gravy, gravy train, lagniappe, perk, perquisite, throw-in, tip, pension, bestowal, presentation, benefaction, beneficence, benevolence, bounty, charity, generosity, largesse, philanthropy, contribution, donation, gift, offering, present, grant, subsidy, boon, manna, windfall, favor, freebie, giveaway, premium, award, prize, reward

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Benefit

The most common words with a similar meaning to Benefit:

advantage, aid, asset, boon, help, benediction, blessing, felicity, godsend, good, manna, windfall, avail, profit, serve

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Benefit

Words with the opposite meaning of Benefit:

disadvantage, drawback, encumbrance, hindrance, impediment, minus, affliction, bane, curse, evil, plague, scourge

Related Words for Benefit

hand, lift, pick-me-up, support, sustenance, recourse, refuge, resort, resource, grace, mercy, favor, kindness, mitzvah, assistance, gift, relief, anodyne, comfort, consolation, solace, bonus, extra, lagniappe, delight, joy, pleasure, succeed, work (for), assist

Near Antonyms of Benefit

constraint, inhibitor, liability, obstacle, obstruction, restraint, stranglehold, hex, hoodoo, jinx, bother, irritant, nuisance, pest, cross, misery, trial, tribulation, hinder, impede, damage, harm, hurt, impair, injure, afflict, distress, upset

Word Forms of Benefit

Inflections: benefits, benefited, benefitted, benefiting, benefitting

Derived words: benefiter (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Benefit

Middle English, from Anglo-French benfet, from Latin bene factum, from neuter of bene factus, past participle of bene facere

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Benefit

Words & Phrases Containing Benefit

benefit corporation, benefit of clergy, cost-benefit, death benefit, fringe benefit, child benefit, for one's benefit, for one's own benefit

Frequently Asked Questions about Benefit

What does "Benefit" mean?

"Benefit" means something that produces good or helpful results or effects or that promotes well-being, advantage. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: something that produces good or helpful results or effects or that promotes well-being, advantage. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Benefit"?

Other words for "Benefit" include advantage, aid, asset, boon, help, benediction, blessing and felicity. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Benefit" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Benefit"?

There are 53 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Benefit". Common alternatives include advantage, aid, asset, boon, help, benediction, blessing, felicity, godsend and good.

What is the opposite of "Benefit"?

Antonyms of "Benefit" include disadvantage, drawback, encumbrance, hindrance, impediment, minus, affliction and bane. Near antonyms include constraint, inhibitor, liability and obstacle.

How do you use "Benefit" in a sentence?

Examples of "Benefit" in a sentence: "it would be a real benefit if you could keep track of what you have already bought"; "the meal service is a great benefit to invalids and the elderly"; "his summer internship benefited him in two ways: by giving him some tuition funds and by offering vital work experience".

Is "Benefit" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Benefit" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Benefit" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Benefit" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Benefit"?

"Benefit" is pronounced /ˈbe-nə-ˌfit/ and divided into syllables as ben·e·fit.