BENIGN Synonyms: 143 Similar and Opposite Words

benign

adjective

bi-ˈnīn

as in harmless

not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt around campus he's known as a real character, but one whose eccentricities are entirely benign

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in gentle

not harsh or stern especially in nature or effect basking under a benign sun on a day in early spring

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of benign About 50% to 75% of people with NF2 will also develop benign tumors on the brain or along the spine, which can cause symptoms like pain, numbness and weakness. —

Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 9 June 2026 Many of the changes are benign, such as cheerleaders and halftime entertainment. —

Kirk Bowman, The Conversation, 9 June 2026 Last year, the president was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a benign condition that causes swelling in his lower legs and one that the White House doctor noted is common in people over 70. —

Zac Anderson, USA Today, 7 June 2026 Stone did not ultimately undergo a double mastectomy, as the tumors were benign. —

Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for benign

Recent Examples of Synonyms for benign

Adjective

Acknowledging its decision to err on the side of caution, Anthropic said Fable 5’s safety-first approach might incorrectly flag harmless requests as being suspicious for less than 5% of queries.

— Jared Perlo, NBC news, 11 June 2026
What felt like harmless office culture back then has evolved into a much broader shift in how people approach work.

— Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026