mutual benefit

Meaning

1. 1noununcountable

   An advantage that two or more people or groups each gain from the same arrangement or action.

   Grammar: Usually has no article: they worked together for mutual benefit.

   Patterns

   • for mutual benefit
   • to the mutual benefit of someone

   The two schools share a sports field for mutual benefit.

   Trade between the villages grew to the mutual benefit of everyone involved.

   A good partnership is built on mutual benefit, not on one side taking advantage.

Common combinations

for mutual benefit

The firms pooled their research for mutual benefit.

to the mutual benefit of

The deal was signed to the mutual benefit of both towns.

of mutual benefit

The exchange program proved to be of mutual benefit.

based on mutual benefit

Their friendship is based on mutual benefit and trust.

seek mutual benefit

Good negotiators seek mutual benefit rather than a quick win.

Synonyms and how they differ

win-win

Win-win is informal and describes the situation as a whole, while mutual benefit names the gain itself and suits formal writing.

reciprocity

Reciprocity stresses giving back in return, whereas mutual benefit stresses that both sides end up better off.

common good

Common good refers to the welfare of a whole community, while mutual benefit usually concerns just the parties to a deal.

Opposites

Word family

mutual adjective

felt or done by each toward the other

mutually adverb

in a way that applies to both sides

mutuality noun

the state of being shared between two sides

beneficial adjective

producing a good result

Commonly confused: mutual benefit or mutual aid?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “mutual benefit”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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