benignant

adjective

bi-ˈnig-nənt How to pronounce benignant (audio)
Definition of benignantnext
1
as in compassionate
having or marked by sympathy and consideration for others a benignant understanding of the daily struggles of the economically disadvantaged

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in favorable
promoting or contributing to personal or social well-being firmly believes that religion is a benignant force in society

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for benignant
  1. compassionate
  2. favorable
  3. benevolent
  4. beneficial
  5. kind
  6. helpful
  7. sympathetic
  8. good
Adjective
  • Libra September 23 – October 22 The routine that keeps draining you may need a more compassionate rhythm.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The vaccine is being used under a compassionate-use program, which allows a medical product to be used in a serious disease situation even though it has not been specifically approved for that particular use.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of compassionate
Adjective
  • Sulfolane has received less favorable assessments under more recent solvent-selection guidance, including concerns around reproductive toxicity.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • That, coupled with a favorable schedule featuring home games against TCU, BYU, Baylor, Arizona State and Iowa State, should help the Knights become bowl-eligible for the first time since the 2023 season.
    — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of favorable
Adjective
  • Supporters of the legislation will argue that their intentions were benevolent and kind.
    — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026
  • This is applicable in equal measures to leaders ordinarily deemed benevolent, and those considered destructive.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of benevolent
Adjective
  • During periods of heightened pressure, the initial response can be beneficial.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • There are lots of different types of sauerkraut out there that may be beneficial for your health.
    — Amanda Doyle, HEALTH, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of beneficial
Adjective
  • So his church—which has raised many millions of dollars for good causes, and operates a local food pantry and food truck—decided to distribute lawn signs simply encouraging people to be kind.
    — Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Engler said even in her early days of stardom, Parton was always kind and pleasant.
    — Jessica Guay, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of kind
Adjective
  • Squeeze bottles are also helpful for storing and dispensing homemade condiments (think spicy mayo) or syrups for coffee or cocktails.
    — Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Starter Davis Martin said the veterans who have been in past playoff pushes have been helpful.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of helpful
Adjective
  • Pearson, the ministry president, is sympathetic to the people lining up for help.
    — Scott Horsley, NPR, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The show was considered an outlier in its generally sympathetic take on Hill and his conservative views, as well as in terms of the agency with which the show’s creators endowed its working- and middle-class characters.
    — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of sympathetic
Adjective
  • Members also flagged strong anticipation from North American press and said a Netflix awards team is preparing a campaign for the film that extends to a best picture push.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
  • These seven hotels and experiences are for the active voyager who is never too far from their golf clubs, knows where all the best tennis courts are and is always game for a new sport.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of good
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.

Browse Nearby Words

benignancy
benignant
benignantly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Benignant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benignant. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All