greater good

noun

The benefit of the public, of more people than a singular person or a small amount of people (especially if it requires some expense or sacrifice).

“Cutting pensions is for the greater good of all citizens.”

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Meanings

noun
  1. The benefit of the public, of more people than a singular person or a small amount of people (especially if it requires some expense or sacrifice).

    Cutting pensions is for the greater good of all citizens.

    3 more examples

    Moral powers therefore, and their improvements, must be the chief object of that infinitely good being's care and concern, whole scope in creating is the greater good of the whole.

    1740, George Turnbull, The Principles of Moral Philosophy: In Two Volumes, volume II, London: J. Noon, page 49

    They are perfectly satisfied with the greater good for which they sacrifice the less good.

    1824, Luke, “The self-denial of the Lord Jesus Christ”, in The Christian Magazine, volume I, Providence: Barnum Field, page 183

    That word, however: protected. It applies to some, but not all, of its animal inhabitants. Each year, a specific number are set aside for sacrifice, for the greater good.

    2026 April 21, Cal Flyn, “On the trail with the hunters who believe shooting big game can save Africa’s wildlife”, in The Guardian

Translations

Finnish yhteinen hyvä
  • yhteinen hyväbenefit of the public
Hebrew טובת הכלל
  • טובת הכללbenefit of the public
Hindi अधिक से अधिक अच्छे
  • अधिक से अधिक अच्छे (adhik se adhik acche)benefit of the public
Japanese より大きな善
  • より大きな善benefit of the public
Korean 더 좋은
  • 더 좋은 (deo jo'eun)benefit of the public
Polish dobro wspólne
  • dobro wspólnebenefit of the public
Portuguese bem maior
  • bem maiorbenefit of the public
Russian о́бщее бла́го
  • о́бщее бла́го (óbščeje blágo)benefit of the public
Spanish bien común, bien mayor
  • bien comúnbenefit of the public
  • bien mayorbenefit of the public
  • mayor bienbenefit of the public
  • bien de todosbenefit of the public
Swedish gemensamma bästa
  • gemensamma bästabenefit of the public
Cite this entry
APA

greater good. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/greater%20good

MLA

“greater good.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/greater%20good. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “greater good,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/greater%20good.

Source: greater good on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.