boon

1 of 2

noun

1
: a timely benefit : blessing
a boon to new homeowners
The rain was a boon for parched crops.
2
: benefit, favor
especially : one that is given in answer to a request
would not grant his boon

boon

2 of 2

adjective

1
: convivial
a boon companion
2
archaic : favorable

Examples of boon in a Sentence

Noun the couple's generous donation was a great boon to the charity's fund-raising campaign a softhearted man who finds it hard to deny any boon, whether it be for friend or stranger Adjective I and my boon companions celebrated that afternoon's victory on the gridiron with a night at a local dance club.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Getting a left-handed leverage reliever back would be a boon for a bullpen that has practically been a rotating door over the last month. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 July 2025 Apple Munster said that Wall Street’s iPhone sales expectations are underestimating the potential power of a strong upgrade cycle, which could be a boon for Apple stock. Brian Evans, CNBC, 5 July 2025 That is not inherently bad and tactical flexibility, particularly during a major tournament, is usually a boon. Megan Feringa, New York Times, 28 June 2025 Law is a sector that can prosper in hostile environments—litigation thrives during both prosperity and adversity, and downtimes can be a boon for countercyclical practices like bankruptcy and restructuring. Liane Jackson, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for boon

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bone prayer, request, the favor requested, from Old Norse bōn request; akin to Old English bēn prayer, bannan to summon — more at ban entry 1

Adjective

Middle English bon, from Anglo-French, good — more at bounty

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of boon was in the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Boon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boon. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

boon

1 of 2 noun
1
: something asked or granted as a favor
2
: something pleasant or helpful that comes at just the right time : blessing

boon

2 of 2 adjective
: merry sense 1
a boon companion
Etymology

Noun

Middle English boon "favor," from an early Norse word meaning "a request, plea"

Adjective

Middle English boon, bon "favorable," from early French bon "good," derived from Latin bonus "good" — related to bonus

More from Merriam-Webster on boon

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