1
a
: of a mild type or character that does not threaten health or life
especially
: not becoming cancerous
a benign lung tumor
b
: having no significant effect : harmless
environmentally benign
2
: of a gentle disposition : gracious
a benign teacher
Synonyms
Examples of benign in a Sentence
… substituting such benign power sources as the hybrid, the fuel cell, and the electric motor in place of … the internal-combustion engine.
—
Brock Yates, Car and Driver, May 2000
Rather than a benign fairytale creature that delivers babies, the marabou stork is an ugly, viciously predatory African bird that preys on flamingos …
—James Polk, New York Times Book Review, 11 Feb. 1996
… her pulled-back black hair had gone gray in strange distinct bands, but she seemed much as he remembered her, solid and energetic, with a certain benign defiance.
—John Updike, New Yorker, 23 May 1988
When she chose to smile on me, I always wanted to thank her. The action was so graceful and inclusively benign.
—Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969
We were happy to hear that the tumor was benign.
around campus he's known as a real character, but one whose eccentricities are entirely benign
Brock Yates, Car and Driver, May 2000
Rather than a benign fairytale creature that delivers babies, the marabou stork is an ugly, viciously predatory African bird that preys on flamingos …
—James Polk, New York Times Book Review, 11 Feb. 1996
… her pulled-back black hair had gone gray in strange distinct bands, but she seemed much as he remembered her, solid and energetic, with a certain benign defiance.
—John Updike, New Yorker, 23 May 1988
When she chose to smile on me, I always wanted to thank her. The action was so graceful and inclusively benign.
—Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969
We were happy to hear that the tumor was benign.
around campus he's known as a real character, but one whose eccentricities are entirely benign
Recent Examples on the Web
Examine the clues, discard the red herrings, ignore the obvious, and clock the suspicious behavior of that seemingly benign neighbor.
—Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024
While some reasons are more benign than others, the behavior can signal larger health concerns, says Alt.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024
Its accelerated path toward Europe has been spurred by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which shattered many Moldovans’ image of Russia as a benign big brother and created a determination in Brussels to prevent Moscow making further political inroads into formerly Communist states.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 21 Oct. 2024
These benign small and firm white bumps appear on the face—usually around the eyes.
—Carley Millhone, Health, 19 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for benign 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024
While some reasons are more benign than others, the behavior can signal larger health concerns, says Alt.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024
Its accelerated path toward Europe has been spurred by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which shattered many Moldovans’ image of Russia as a benign big brother and created a determination in Brussels to prevent Moscow making further political inroads into formerly Communist states.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 21 Oct. 2024
These benign small and firm white bumps appear on the face—usually around the eyes.
—Carley Millhone, Health, 19 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for benign
Dictionary Entries Near benign
Cite this Entry
“Benign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/benign. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
benign
adjective
be·nign
bi-ˈnīn 
1
: of a mild type or character that does not threaten health or life
benign malaria
a benign liver cyst
2
: having a good prognosis : responding favorably to treatment
a benign psychosis
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share