balmy

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "balmy" is an acceptable word in written English.
It can be used to describe a mild, pleasant weather. Example sentence: "The balmy summer evening was perfect for a picnic at the beach."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Travel

Books

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Facebook Twitter Google plus Share Share this post Facebook Twitter Google plus close 8.49pm AEST11:49 23 min: My brother, Niall, drops me a line from the beer garden of Hotel Darwin to say the game is on the big screen... "and it's a lovely balmy dry season night.

The Guardian - Sport

It's 7pm on a balmy Saturday night in June, and I have just ordered my first Sagres beer in I Cervejaria, a restaurant in Zambujeira do Mar, one of the prettiest villages on Portugal's south-west coast.

The Guardian - Travel

The blast of frigid air sent temperatures plunging as far south as the Texas panhandle, where balmy 70-degree weather fell into the teens overnight.

The Guardian

It was a balmy autumnal evening when a man in British army fatigues approached Hazell's British-registered dark blue Saab as she was parking it.

The Guardian

The vineyards are on the rolling pampas, close to the River Plate, and enjoy balmy weather most of the year.

The Guardian - Travel

Besides, he felt much repugnance for that sort of happiness, bought at the chemist's and taken away in the vest-pocket, and he compared the ecstasy it induces to that of a maniac for whom painted canvas and rough drop-scenes take the place of real furniture and gardens balmy with the scent of genuine flowers.

The Guardian - Books

When Art Uncut's attempt to bring the issue of tax avoidance to the Pyramid stage was met with a pretty brutal response, the silence from musicians was similarly overwhelming: to pipe up, it seemed, would threaten the weekend's mixture of blood-pumping hedonism and balmy reassurance.

The Guardian - Opinion

The balmy weather predicted is in stark contrast to the first half of the week, when much of the country will be blighted by rain, wind and below-average temperatures.

The Guardian

The rally started earlier in balmy sunshine – a contrast to the numbing chill in Ferguson – in Crenshaw, a predominantly African American neighbourhood.

The Guardian

To an extent, the spirit of balmy summers and barmy fixtures past survives, even if Wigan Athletic have cancelled a friendly in Morecambe to fly to the United States to play Columbus Crew and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

The Guardian - Sport

Novelty, balmy sun and a Friday evening brought 9,000 to the Rose Bowl, and over 30,000 in all to the five games on June 13th; five on sunny but less-festive Monday drew 22,000 no huge figures, but well over double those for the last Benson & Hedges games between the same teams.There is a wider lesson: not just a new product but modern management.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing weather conditions, use "balmy" to evoke a sense of comfort and gentle warmth. This works particularly well in settings where the weather contributes positively to the overall experience.

Common error

Avoid using "balmy" to describe situations that are chaotic or stressful, as its connotation of gentle comfort will create an incongruous and jarring effect.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "balmy" is as an adjective, modifying nouns to describe a quality of mildness, gentleness, and pleasantness, most often relating to weather or climate. Ludwig showcases examples where "balmy" effectively conveys a sense of comfort and ease.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

The Economist

28%

The Guardian

15%

Less common in

Travel

4%

Opinion

3%

Books

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the adjective "balmy" effectively describes weather that is pleasantly warm and mild. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent usage across various contexts, especially in news and travel writing. While primarily used to describe weather, it can metaphorically extend to settings or atmospheres that evoke a sense of gentle comfort. When writing, ensure "balmy" aligns with the context's overall tone, avoiding its use in chaotic or stressful scenes where its connotation would be jarring. Alternatives like "mild", "pleasant", and "temperate" offer similar nuances for varied descriptive purposes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mild

Focuses on the gentle and temperate nature of the weather, lacking the potentially soothing implication of "balmy".

pleasant

A more general term for agreeable conditions, without the specific emphasis on temperature or climate.

temperate

Highlights the moderate nature of the climate, suggesting a lack of extremes.

gentle

Emphasizes the soothing and non-severe quality of the weather.

agreeable

Indicates that the weather is pleasing and acceptable, but less descriptive than "balmy".

clement

A more formal term for mild and merciful weather, often used in a literary context.

benign

Suggests a harmless and favorable weather condition.

soft

Describes the weather's lack of harshness or severity.

mellow

Implies a relaxed and gentle atmosphere due to the weather.

calm

Focuses on the peaceful and tranquil nature of the weather, lacking the temperature aspect of "balmy".

FAQs

How to use "balmy" in a sentence?

Use "balmy" to describe weather that is pleasantly warm and mild. For example, "The "balmy evening" was perfect for a stroll."

What can I say instead of "balmy"?

You can use alternatives like "mild", "pleasant", or "temperate" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "balmy weather" or "balmy personality"?

"Balmy" primarily describes weather. While it can metaphorically describe a personality as slightly eccentric, it's less common. "Affable personality" or "amiable personality" are better choices for describing a pleasant person.

What's the difference between "balmy" and "warm"?

"Balmy" implies a gentle, comforting warmth, often associated with a pleasant breeze or atmosphere. "Warm" is a more general term simply indicating a higher temperature, without necessarily implying comfort or gentleness.