beneficiaries

IPA/bˌɛnɪfˈɪʃəɹiz/
KK[bˌɛnəfˈɪʃiˌɛriz]IPA/bˌɛnəfˈɪʃiːˌɛriːz/

beneficiaries — noun

1. A person, group, or organization that gains money, help, or other advantages fro

1.nounB2
Definition

A person, group, or organization that gains money, help, or other advantages from a particular situation, event, or arrangement — for example, a charity that receives money from a fundraising event, or a family member named in a will.

Example

The Watanabe family were the main beneficiaries of their aunt's will.

beneficiaries of

Ayanda volunteers at the food bank to meet the beneficiaries of the meal program.

meet the beneficiaries

Common collocations
  • beneficiaries of a will / trust / policy
  • main / primary / key beneficiaries
  • intended beneficiaries
  • direct / indirect beneficiaries
  • name someone as a beneficiary
  • beneficiaries receive / gain / get
Synonyms
  • recipient

    More general; used for anyone who receives something, not necessarily a gain or advantage

  • heir

    Specifically refers to someone who inherits property or money after someone dies; narrower than beneficiary

  • legatee

    Technical legal term for someone who receives property through a will; very formal and rare in everyday speech

Antonyms
  • benefactor

    A person who gives money or help, not receives it

  • donor

    Someone who gives something, for example to a charity

Grammar Patterns

beneficiaries of [something]

[someone's] beneficiaries

Usage Note

Often used in legal and financial contexts such as wills, insurance policies, and trust funds. The person or organization named as a beneficiary does not need to act to receive what they are entitled to — they gain the benefit simply because of the way the arrangement was set up.

Common Mistakes

He was the benefactor of his grandmother's will.
He was the beneficiary of his grandmother's will.
A benefactor gives money or help; a beneficiary receives it.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While these four words all describe someone who receives something, they differ in scope and formality. 'Recipient' is the broadest — any person or thing that receives anything, from a letter to a prize, can be called a recipient. 'Heir' is narrower: it specifically refers to someone entitled to inherit property or a title after a death, often by family relationship. 'Legatee' is a formal legal term used almost exclusively in wills and estate law, meaning someone named to receive a specific gift under a will; it rarely appears outside legal documents. 'Donee' is another legal term for someone who receives a gift, commonly used in the phrase 'donee of a power of appointment' or in tax law. In everyday conversation, 'beneficiary' is more natural than any of these alternatives when talking about who gains from an insurance policy, a trust, or a charitable program. For example, you would say 'the beneficiaries of the scholarship fund' rather than 'the donees of the scholarship fund'.

recipient ↗heir ↗legatee ↗donee ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • named as a beneficiary
  • become a beneficiary
  • main beneficiary
  • intended beneficiary

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from Latin 'beneficium' meaning 'a good deed, favor, or benefit', formed from 'bene' (well) + 'facere' (to do). The word passed through French 'bénéfice' before entering English as 'benefice' in the 1300s (referring to church land), and later 'beneficiary' emerged in the 1600s for someone who receives benefits.