balm

noun

\ ˈbä(l)m

Definition of balm

1 : a balsamic (see balsamic sense 1) resin especially : one from small tropical evergreen trees (genus Commiphora of the family Burseraceae)

2 : an aromatic preparation (such as a healing ointment) applied a balm to the wound

3 botany : any of several aromatic plants of the mint family especially : lemon balm

4 : a spicy aromatic odor … the white lilies in the garden, the herb bed near the bees—everything sent out fragrance and balm into the soft air …— Agnes S. Turnbull

5 : a soothing restorative agency Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.— Jane Austen

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about balm

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Examples of balm in a Sentence

Art can be a balm to the soul. She shows that laughter is a balm for difficult times.

Recent Examples on the Web

Your favorite lip balm might be made from a fatty substance extracted from sheep's wool. — Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Best Vegan and Cruelty-Free Makeup," 29 Nov. 2018 This meant swapping my sweatpants for skirts and replacing my barely-there balm with a Power Lip (just switching out that one thing is a million times easier than doing a full face beat). — Janell M. Hickman, Marie Claire, "I Thought I Hated Liquid Lipstick—Oh, How Wrong I Was," 21 Nov. 2018 Even Kiernan Shipka's Sabrina is seen dabbling in rich, red shades that go beyond her usual barely-tinted lip balm. — Marci Robin, Allure, "The Lipsticks Worn by the Witches of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Are Surprisingly Pricey," 1 Nov. 2018 Cannabis—at the gym, in your morning smoothie and your lip balm—is becoming more mainstream by the day. — Sara Gaynes Levy, Vogue, "“Magic Mushrooms” May Be an FDA-Approved Drug for Anxiety and Depression in the Near Future," 6 Oct. 2018 Over the past year, corporate earnings haven’t been the balm that many had hoped for the markets. — Akane Otani, WSJ, "Slowing Earnings Growth, Gloomy Forecasts Add to Stock Market’s Woes," 13 Jan. 2019 Much like exercising, listening to true-crime podcasts, and petting my dog, Poehler's overalls are the balm for which my soul has been yearning. — Lourdes Avila Uribe, Glamour, "Amy Poehler's Making It Overalls Are the Only Pure Thing Left in the World," 16 Oct. 2018 Bae is probs trying to kiss your actual lips, not your Melon Mango Primer, so stick to that good ol' neutral lip balm. — Bernadette Anat, Seventeen, "How to Kiss: 20 Secrets Good Kissers Know," 2 Aug. 2018 What does stick in my craw is the idea that the actual lottery is all that’s left, which, in a paradoxical way, is why My Lottery Dream Home is such a balm for the soul. — Angela Serratore, Curbed, "The pure joy of HGTV’s ‘My Lottery Dream Home’," 21 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'balm.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.