benefit 1 of 2

noun

ˈbe-nə-ˌfit How to pronounce benefit (audio)
Definition of benefitnext
1
as in advantage
a thing that helps it would be a real benefit if you could keep track of what you have already bought

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in boon
something that provides happiness or does good for a person or thing the meal service is a great benefit to invalids and the elderly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

benefit

2 of 2

verb

as in to help
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of benefit
Noun
Fake sourdough often uses yeast, sugar, or tangy ingredients like vinegar to mimic the flavor without providing the real fermentation benefits. — Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 18 July 2026 As with any type of population-level medical screening, a careful examination of risks and benefits is vital. — Alexander P. Cole, STAT, 18 July 2026
Verb
Economic development creates opportunities that benefit entire regions. — Jeffrey Bennett, Time, 17 July 2026 Running a climate model with grid squares on a 1-kilometer scale is a massive computational challenge, but the field would really benefit from doing so. — ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for benefit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for benefit
  1. advantage
  2. boon
  3. help
  4. asset
  5. blessing
  6. avail
  7. gift
  8. aid
Noun
  • While Spain looks primed to defend their crown with a young core and home-field advantage, the race to lift the World Cup in 2030 has almost four years to now take shape.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • With warm Southern weather stretching way beyond Labor Day, this is actually the perfect time to take advantage, with lots of days on the porch still left.
    — Sarah Scott, Southern Living, 19 July 2026
Definition of advantage
Noun
  • While any joint-production agreement will require some time to execute, this was nonetheless an enormous boon for Ukraine’s long-term security.
    — Ihor N. Stelmach, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026
  • These changes – along with, crucially, incredible performances from the players themselves and compelling matchups that have included the boogeyman Dodgers in both of the last two World Series – have been a boon to the game.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Definition of boon
Verb
  • The foundation was also part of a group of philanthropic organizations that helped finance the acquisition of property owned by Twin Pines Minerals, which had planned to mine the eastern edge of the swamp.
    — Drew Kann, AJC.com, 20 July 2026
  • Every day, Cord Shiflet drives 200 miles round trip from Austin, helping survivors tell their stories, connecting them with resources and raising more than $50,000 for affected families through Facebook.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Definition of help
Noun
  • Those are just two examples of Russian FPV (first-person view) drones attacking civilians rather than military assets – a phenomenon that’s also playing out in the frontline cities of Kherson and Kramatorsk.
    — Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • The SpaceX offering featured twenty-three banks, a crew that ranged from the aforementioned giants to asset managers Bernstein and Mirae of South Korea.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 18 July 2026
Definition of asset
Noun
  • Judge Ranjan identified several problems with MET’s claims, including MET’s allegation that UA engaged in false advertising by portraying Celliant as having the FDA’s blessing.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 July 2026
  • The Italian side opted not to take up the option at the end of his time there — which turned out to be a blessing in disguise for both Tottenham and Postecoglou.
    — Elias Burke, New York Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of blessing
Verb
  • Born on a farm in Maine, and instructed in local flora by an aunt, Butler availed herself of science classes at the University of Minnesota and went on to become a renowned phycologist.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 July 2026
  • One of the misconceptions about work from home or hybrid is that the entire workforce can avail itself with such arrangements.
    — Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
Definition of avail
Noun
  • Some of its greatest gifts arrive disguised as boredom — an afternoon with nothing scheduled, a bike pointed toward a friend’s house, a library book that unexpectedly becomes impossible to put down.
    — Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 16 July 2026
  • Federal Election Commission filings released Wednesday night show the CEO personally donated $1 million in May to Public First, the super PAC pushing for mandatory AI safety rules—his largest political gift on record.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 16 July 2026
Definition of gift
Verb
  • Christine Reichert, a senior attorney for environmental nonprofit Earthjustice, has been aiding residents across the state in their campaigns against hyperscale data centers in their backyard.
    — Alexandra Phelps, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
  • Van Hoytema’s cameras seem to be everywhere at once when Odysseus launches into a visceral clash, aided solely by Telemachus.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026
Definition of aid

Phrases Containing benefit

Browse Nearby Words

beneficiary
benefit
benefited
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Benefit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benefit. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on benefit

Nglish: Translation of benefit for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about benefit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of raffish

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All