undue benefit

USAGE SUMMARY

"undue benefit" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to refer to something that is unfairly gained or received. For example: "The company is suspected of benefiting from an undue advantage over competitors due to its close relationship with the government."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The board concluded that Ms. Nagy had received no undue benefit from her relationship, and while it deemed Mr. Strauss-Kahn's behavior inappropriate — and he apologized — it concluded that he had not abused his power.

The New York Times

"He has all the rights to exercise his boxing profession after the elections, but to schedule his boxing bout during the campaign period and close to the elections is obviously taking advantage of his personality and his profession, extending undue benefit to his candidacy," the petition said.

The Guardian - Sport

Dalian Wanda insists that neither it nor Mr Wang have received any sort of undue benefit from their connections to people in power.Flush with successIt is fair to say that Mr Wang's commercial acumen has played a large part in Dalian Wanda's success.

The Economist

Joseph Horacek, a neighbor who is suing Hadid, said he didn't think Hadid was getting an undue benefit from the reassessment.

Los Angeles Times

And that is a function of the American public's appetite for solving the problem, for making sure that people aren't getting an undue benefit, but also putting everyone on an even playing field.

Huffington Post

Integrity means respecting others, doing the right thing even when no one is watching, not taking undue benefit of something undeserved, saying the same thing in your face as behind your back, demonstrating intellectual honesty, etc. Secondly I look for intelligence and energy.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

In a statement issued Friday, the joint venture denied the charges, arguing that it had not received "undue benefits from the government before, during or after the bidding process".

The New York Times

Numerous state and federal laws preclude nonprofit organizations and charities like the Trump Foundation from lobbying, aiding a political campaign, or giving undue benefits that further a person's self-interests, rather than those of the organization.

The New York Times

Both analysts, Donna Moore and Terrell M. Berkovsky, wrote memorandums specifying that they had been instructed not to address issues like whether the church was engaged in too much commercial activity or whether its activities provided undue private benefit to its leaders.

The New York Times

The Republic of Ireland's cabinet has agreed to appeal against the European Commission's ruling that Ireland granted undue tax benefits of up to €13bn (£11bn) to Apple.

BBC

To be ethical, they say, a study with placebo surgery must meet three criteria: it must not place patients at undue risk; the benefits of learning whether the surgery works must be worth any potential risk to the patients; and the patients must give informed consent.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing ethical considerations, pair "undue benefit" with specific examples to illustrate the potential harm or inequity.

Common error

Avoid using "undue benefit" when describing legitimate incentives or rewards for performance. "Undue benefit" implies an unfair or unethical advantage, not simply a deserved reward.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "undue benefit" typically functions as a noun phrase. It identifies something gained unfairly. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and its meaning refers to something unfairly gained or received. Examples show it used to describe advantages gained through inappropriate means.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "undue benefit" refers to an unfair advantage or gain, often in a legal or ethical context. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. While not the most common phrase, with a 'Uncommon' frequency, its usage is consistent across various authoritative sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian. The key is to use it when you specifically want to denote an unethical or illegitimate gain, rather than a deserved reward. Related phrases like ""unjustified advantage"" or "improper gain" can provide similar nuance depending on the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unjustified advantage

Replaces "benefit" with "advantage" and "undue" with "unjustified", focusing on the lack of justification for the gain.

unfair advantage

Replaces "benefit" with "advantage" and "undue" with "unfair", emphasizing the lack of equity.

unmerited advantage

Replaces "benefit" with "advantage" and "undue" with "unmerited", highlighting the lack of deservingness.

improper advantage

Replaces "benefit" with "advantage" and "undue" with "improper", focusing on the inappropriateness of the gain.

inappropriate gain

Replaces "undue benefit" with "inappropriate gain", directly referencing the inappropriateness of the gain.

illegitimate gain

Replaces "undue benefit" with "illegitimate gain", suggesting the gain is not in accordance with accepted laws or rules.

unwarranted advantage

Replaces "benefit" with "advantage" and "undue" with "unwarranted", emphasizing that the gain lacks justification.

undeserved advantage

Replaces "benefit" with "advantage" and "undue" with "undeserved", highlighting that the advantage was not earned.

excessive profit

Focuses on the financial aspect of the benefit, suggesting the profit is beyond what is reasonable or acceptable.

disproportionate advantage

Replaces "benefit" with "advantage" and highlights that the scale is unfair.

FAQs

How can I use "undue benefit" in a sentence?

You can use "undue benefit" to describe situations where someone receives an unfair advantage, such as "The politician was accused of providing an "unjustified advantage" to his donors through policy decisions".

What's the difference between "undue benefit" and "unfair advantage"?

While similar, "undue benefit" often suggests a more specific or tangible advantage gained inappropriately, whereas "unfair advantage" is a broader term for any inequitable edge.

What are some alternatives to using the phrase "undue benefit"?

Alternatives include ""unjustified advantage"", "improper gain", or "unmerited advantage", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

In what contexts is the term "undue benefit" most often used?

The term "undue benefit" is frequently used in legal, ethical, and business contexts when discussing conflicts of interest, regulatory compliance, and fair competition.