benefit toward

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "benefit toward" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It can be used when discussing advantages or positive outcomes directed at a specific person or group, but "benefit to" is more standard. Example: "The new policy will provide a significant benefit toward the employees' well-being."

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

This trial was designed to study performance of a novel handheld probe (Dune Medical Devices, Caesarea, Israel) in intraoperative detection of positive margins and its potential benefit toward minimizing the positive margin rate.

The American Journal of Surgery

The company also offers surrogacy and adoption benefits, a $4,000 "new child benefit" toward biological or adopted children, subsidized daycare costs and breastfeeding workshops for both moms and dads.

Huffington Post

Between-group differences in the change in θ during quiet breathing were significantly different for θRC and θDIA in the direction of benefit (toward 0°), favoring patients who had successful LVR, compared with the control group.

Chest

Another benefit toward the lives of our patients was that the once-daily formulation was convenient for patients who liked travelling, especially patients who would travel across different time zones.

BioMed Research International

If the decay rate of the latent reservoir in patients on standard HAART regimens has reached a maximum, then an intensified HAART regimen would have no benefit toward eradication of the latent reservoir – suggesting that other approaches would be necessary for eradication of the reservoir.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Studies in humans are much less numerous and also give some conflicting results; the effects on body weight remain inconclusive, though the general consensus is that restricted feeding may provide some benefit toward reducing plasma lipids, improving insulin sensitivity and other metabolic risk factors.

Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

When he gets back, he'll use the education benefits toward college.

The New York Times

Representative Darrell Issa, the California Republican, has proposed a bill in the House that would effectively cut the minimum wage in states where it was higher than the federal threshold by allowing employers to count health benefits toward wages.

The New York Times

That's not what you want to say when discussing a tax-cut plan that, according to models prepared by the Tax Policy Center, would heavily weight the benefits toward the top of the income spectrum.

The New York Times

If the design of these economic plans is solely what you suspect — in other words, if they are irresponsibly skewing benefits toward people who are more likely to vote in the election, at the expense of citizens who are less inclined to do so — then the programs are unethical.

The New York Times - Magazine

Standing in a favorite Senate Democrat haunt — the elegant, frescoed Lyndon B. Johnson Room in the Capitol — and using the requisite post-Perot charts and graphs, he showed how the Democrats' proposal would channel more benefits toward the middle class and away from the very wealthy than the Republicans' tax cut would.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While grammatically acceptable, consider using more common alternatives like "benefit to" or "benefit for" for improved clarity and wider acceptance.

Common error

Avoid using "benefit toward" excessively. Diversify your language by using synonyms like "advantage for", "contribution to", or simply "benefit to" to make your writing sound more natural and polished.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "benefit toward" typically functions as a prepositional phrase following a noun, indicating a positive impact or advantage directed at a specific entity or goal. It specifies where the benefit is directed. As per Ludwig AI, the phrase isn't the most idiomatic.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

67%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "benefit toward" signifies a positive effect or contribution directed at something, but it's less common compared to alternatives such as "benefit to" or "benefit for". Ludwig AI reports that the expression, while understandable, is not the most idiomatic choice. Usage analysis reveals its presence across diverse contexts, including scientific studies and news articles, maintaining a generally neutral register. While grammatically acceptable, opting for more prevalent alternatives can enhance clarity and ensure wider acceptance in writing. The most frequent sources where this expression is found are in Science and News & Media domains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

benefit for

More common and grammatically standard alternative.

advantage toward

Focuses on the competitive edge or superiority gained.

contribution toward

Emphasizes the act of giving or adding to something.

help toward

Highlights the assistance provided.

assist in

Focuses on the act of aiding or supporting.

aid in

More formal synonym for help.

support for

Implies backing and encouragement.

good for

Simple and direct way to express positive effect.

assist toward

Highlights the assistance provided.

positive impact on

Emphasizes the influential effect.

FAQs

What does "benefit toward" mean?

"Benefit toward" suggests a positive contribution or advantage directed at something. However, it's less common than alternatives like "benefit to".

Is "benefit toward" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "benefit toward" is not the most idiomatic choice. "Benefit to" or "benefit for" are generally preferred and more grammatically sound.

What are some alternatives to "benefit toward"?

You can use alternatives like "benefit for", "benefit to", or "advantage for" depending on the context.

How can I use "benefit to" instead of "benefit toward"?

Instead of saying "a benefit toward the project", say "a benefit to the project". The preposition "to" is more commonly used to indicate the recipient of the benefit.