beneficial
beh-nuh-FIH-shuhl
Beneficial (adjective) means producing good results; helpful. Example: “A short walk after dinner can be beneficial for digestion.”
adjective
1
Producing good results; helpful.
"A short walk after dinner can be beneficial for digestion."
"Recycling and reusing garbage can be beneficial to the environment."
"Yes, there are microbes everywhere and most are just fine for us, perhaps even beneficial to our microbiomes and immune systems. We don’t care about those."
— Sandee LaMotte, The germiest place in your home and the best way to combat those microbes (2019)
"Regular exercise is beneficial for heart health."
"The new trade deal proved beneficial to both countries."
How to use beneficial
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishGood for you or good for something — having a positive effect.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
beneficial effect
mutually beneficial
beneficial to health
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Word forms
- Plural
- beneficials
- Comparative
- more beneficial
- Superlative
- most beneficial
Fill the gap
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A short walk after dinner can be _____ for digestion.
Etymology
From Late Latin beneficialis, from Latin beneficium, "a favor or kindness" — the same root behind "benefit."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for beneficial
See all rhymes for beneficial →Frequently asked questions
What does “beneficial” mean?
The word “beneficial” means producing good results; helpful. In plain terms, good for you or good for something — having a positive effect.
How do you pronounce “beneficial”?
“Beneficial” is pronounced beh-nuh-FIH-shuhl (/ˌbɛnəˈfɪʃəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “beneficial” in a sentence?
Here is “beneficial” used in a sentence: “Regular exercise is beneficial for heart health.”
What is the opposite of “beneficial”?
The opposite of “beneficial” — its antonyms — are detrimental, maleficial, nocuous, damaging and harmful.
What part of speech is “beneficial”?
“Beneficial” is an adjective.
Where does the word “beneficial” come from?
The word “beneficial” comes from Late Latin. From Late Latin beneficialis, from Latin beneficium, "a favor or kindness" — the same root behind "benefit.".
Is “beneficial” a common word?
“Beneficial” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
What is the difference between beneficial and advantageous?
Both describe something that produces good results. Beneficial emphasizes genuine good or well-being, as in "a beneficial effect on health," while advantageous emphasizes gaining a better position or an edge, often in competition or negotiation.
Is it beneficial to or beneficial for?
Both are used, and neither is wrong. "Beneficial to" is the more common and traditional pairing ("exercise is beneficial to health"), while "beneficial for" often appears when a goal or purpose is in view ("beneficial for building stamina"). If in doubt, choose "beneficial to."
What is the difference between beneficial and beneficent?
Beneficial describes things that produce good results, such as a beneficial change or habit. Beneficent describes a person or agent who actively does good, such as a beneficent donor. In short, people are beneficent; effects and outcomes are beneficial.
What is the opposite of beneficial?
The most common opposites of beneficial are harmful, detrimental, and damaging, all describing something that causes harm rather than good. Note that harmless is not a true opposite — it only means causing no harm, not producing good results.
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