Benign
adjective
Kind, gentle and not harmful.
She has a benign smile.
Often appears as...
- benign smile
- benign presence
adjective
In medicine, describes a disease or condition which is not dangerous for life.
The test confirmed that the tumor is benign.
Often appears as...
- benign tumor
- benign growth
Usage tips
Technical, Approving
Academic
adjective
Having a pleasant and beneficial effect.
The benign influence of the Mediterranean climate on grape quality
Often appears as...
- benign effect
- benign influence
adjective
Kind, gentle and not harmful.
She has a benign smile.
Often appears as...
- benign smile
- benign presence
adjective
In medicine, describes a disease or condition which is not dangerous for life.
The test confirmed that the tumor is benign.
Often appears as...
- benign tumor
- benign growth
Usage tips
Technical, Approving
Academic
adjective
Having a pleasant and beneficial effect.
The benign influence of the Mediterranean climate on grape quality
Often appears as...
- benign effect
- benign influence
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Tone
Conveys warmth or friendliness, often used to describe a person's demeanor.
Her benign approach made everyone feel welcome immediately.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Harmful
Suggests something is safe and has no negative effects.
The benign substance didn't pollute the water at all.
Pro Tip 3/3Understated Power
Although benign, it can imply subtle influence or authority without aggression.
His benign leadership guided the team to success without conflict.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Tone
Conveys warmth or friendliness, often used to describe a person's demeanor.
Her benign approach made everyone feel welcome immediately.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Harmful
Suggests something is safe and has no negative effects.
The benign substance didn't pollute the water at all.
Pro Tip 3/3Understated Power
Although benign, it can imply subtle influence or authority without aggression.
His benign leadership guided the team to success without conflict.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Tone
Conveys warmth or friendliness, often used to describe a person's demeanor.
Her benign approach made everyone feel welcome immediately.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Harmful
Suggests something is safe and has no negative effects.
The benign substance didn't pollute the water at all.
Pro Tip 3/3Understated Power
Although benign, it can imply subtle influence or authority without aggression.
His benign leadership guided the team to success without conflict.
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Video examples
Sir Martin Rees: Earth...
Bio- and cybertechnologies are environmentally benign in that they offer marvelous prospects, while, nonetheless, reducing pressure on energy and resources. But they will have a dark side. In our interconnected world, novel technology could empower
Video examples
Why 30 is not the new 20...
and we were sitting there, blowing it. That was when I realized that this sort of benign neglect was a real problem, and it had real consequences, not just for Alex and her love life but for the careers and the families and the futures
Video examples
Creating a Bio-Industrial...
have a question as a biologist if it's going to be more benign than less industrial revolution is it going to be beneficial to all life is it going to be biologically compatible this industrial revolution is coming towards us and this
Video examples
Music and creativity in...
into a benign, unthinking stupor. According to Plato, only very specific types of music were beneficial to a person's ethos. One should only listen to music that promotes intelligence, self-discipline, and courage,
Video examples
4 signs of emotional...
These behaviors can painfully transform the meaning of spoken statements that might otherwise seem benign. Third, how someone reacts to being told they’ve said or done something hurtful can give important
Video examples
Where are all the...
the trillion becomes a billion. Stability -- a climate that stays benign for eons -- the billion becomes a million. Life must start -- the million becomes a thousand. Complex life forms must arise --
Video examples
Mars Up Close, Part 4:...
the chemistry of which was benign enough that it could've been habitable for life from a chemical point of view. But somewhere between this and this, conditions changed. So, the question is
Video examples
Filming A Battle Of Life...
quite benign but it's not at all benign it's not sand it's gravel and bits of seal bone and it's really fairly unpleasant the first time we did it my knee blistered and skinned and was just
Video examples
Teach girls bravery, not...
to help detect whether a cancer is benign or malignant in the off chance that she can save her daddy's life because he has cancer. These are just three examples of thousands,
Video examples
How we can use light to...
People don't realize that red light and benign near-infrared light
Video examples
Sir Martin Rees: Earth...
Bio- and cybertechnologies are environmentally benign in that they offer marvelous prospects, while, nonetheless, reducing pressure on energy and resources. But they will have a dark side. In our interconnected world, novel technology could empower
Video examples
Why 30 is not the new 20...
and we were sitting there, blowing it. That was when I realized that this sort of benign neglect was a real problem, and it had real consequences, not just for Alex and her love life but for the careers and the families and the futures
Video examples
Creating a Bio-Industrial...
have a question as a biologist if it's going to be more benign than less industrial revolution is it going to be beneficial to all life is it going to be biologically compatible this industrial revolution is coming towards us and this
Video examples
Music and creativity in...
into a benign, unthinking stupor. According to Plato, only very specific types of music were beneficial to a person's ethos. One should only listen to music that promotes intelligence, self-discipline, and courage,
Video examples
4 signs of emotional...
These behaviors can painfully transform the meaning of spoken statements that might otherwise seem benign. Third, how someone reacts to being told they’ve said or done something hurtful can give important
Video examples
Where are all the...
the trillion becomes a billion. Stability -- a climate that stays benign for eons -- the billion becomes a million. Life must start -- the million becomes a thousand. Complex life forms must arise --
Video examples
Mars Up Close, Part 4:...
the chemistry of which was benign enough that it could've been habitable for life from a chemical point of view. But somewhere between this and this, conditions changed. So, the question is
Video examples
Filming A Battle Of Life...
quite benign but it's not at all benign it's not sand it's gravel and bits of seal bone and it's really fairly unpleasant the first time we did it my knee blistered and skinned and was just
Video examples
Teach girls bravery, not...
to help detect whether a cancer is benign or malignant in the off chance that she can save her daddy's life because he has cancer. These are just three examples of thousands,
Video examples
How we can use light to...
People don't realize that red light and benign near-infrared light
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Michel Faber
Dutch Writer
I think there is that very basic yearning for something or someone to be looking after us, for there to be a framework holding the universe together that is benign and intelligent. We're not going to get rid of that; it's just too scary to be that molecule flying around briefly in a vacuum.
Quote examples
Michael Leunig
Australian Cartoonist
What a magical thing is the bed, and what a vulnerable, innocent creature is the sleeping human - the human who never looks more truthful or pitiful or benign; the curled-up, childlike dreaming soul who has for a few hours become an angel adrift.
Quote examples
Julian Baggini
British Author
Whatever your religious persuasion, if you believe that that the universe is governed by benign forces, at some point you have to explain why there is so much suffering, misfortune and misery in the world.
Quote examples
Nina Fedoroff
American Scientist
New molecular methods that add or modify genes can protect plants from diseases and pests and improve crops in ways that are both more environmentally benign and beyond the capability of older methods.
Quote examples
Michael Cunningham
American Writer
A certain slightly cruel disregard for the feelings of living people is simply part of the package. I think a writer, if he's any good, is not an entirely benign entity in the world.
Quote examples
Jonathan Kozol
American Writer
If we allow public funds to be used to support our relatively benign, morally grounded schools, we will have to allow those public funds to be used for any type of private school.
Quote examples
Linda Colley
British Historian
The U.S. is the most benign great power we will see in our lifetimes, and it is important for global peace that its leaders continue to value being viewed as benign.
Quote examples
Ben Cross
English Actor
You get thought of in terms of your last job. So if my last job is that of a meat cleaver-wielding character, I will hardly be cast as some benign, older gentleman.
Quote examples
Seamus Heaney
Irish Poet
I've said it before about the Nobel Prize: it's like being struck by a more or less benign avalanche. It was unexpected, unlooked for, and extraordinary.
Quote examples
Carl Sagan
American Scientist
The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent.
Quote examples
Michel Faber
Dutch Writer
I think there is that very basic yearning for something or someone to be looking after us, for there to be a framework holding the universe together that is benign and intelligent. We're not going to get rid of that; it's just too scary to be that molecule flying around briefly in a vacuum.
Quote examples
Michael Leunig
Australian Cartoonist
What a magical thing is the bed, and what a vulnerable, innocent creature is the sleeping human - the human who never looks more truthful or pitiful or benign; the curled-up, childlike dreaming soul who has for a few hours become an angel adrift.
Quote examples
Julian Baggini
British Author
Whatever your religious persuasion, if you believe that that the universe is governed by benign forces, at some point you have to explain why there is so much suffering, misfortune and misery in the world.
Quote examples
Nina Fedoroff
American Scientist
New molecular methods that add or modify genes can protect plants from diseases and pests and improve crops in ways that are both more environmentally benign and beyond the capability of older methods.
Quote examples
Michael Cunningham
American Writer
A certain slightly cruel disregard for the feelings of living people is simply part of the package. I think a writer, if he's any good, is not an entirely benign entity in the world.
Quote examples
Jonathan Kozol
American Writer
If we allow public funds to be used to support our relatively benign, morally grounded schools, we will have to allow those public funds to be used for any type of private school.
Quote examples
Linda Colley
British Historian
The U.S. is the most benign great power we will see in our lifetimes, and it is important for global peace that its leaders continue to value being viewed as benign.
Quote examples
Ben Cross
English Actor
You get thought of in terms of your last job. So if my last job is that of a meat cleaver-wielding character, I will hardly be cast as some benign, older gentleman.
Quote examples
Seamus Heaney
Irish Poet
I've said it before about the Nobel Prize: it's like being struck by a more or less benign avalanche. It was unexpected, unlooked for, and extraordinary.
Quote examples
Carl Sagan
American Scientist
The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent.
Example 1 of 10
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