benign reason

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "benign reason" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a reason that is harmless or not intended to cause any harm or offense. Example: "The committee decided to postpone the meeting for a benign reason, as they wanted to ensure all members could attend."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Canada saw similar trends.A benign reason why banks thinned their capital cushions was that a rush of bank mergers meant banks became more diversified.

The Economist

Linda had been questioned and ruled out as a murder suspect, but that didn't exclude the possibility of a more benign reason for supplying her insomniac husband with a sedative.

The New Yorker

Even if it was a benign reason like my job that kept us apart for more than a day, feelings of guilt would descend.

Huffington Post

Chalchihuapan townspeople gathered on a local highway on July 9 for a relatively benign reason in protest-prone Mexico — they called for the reinstallation of a municipal registrar's office nearer to their community.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

During testing most disengages occur for benign reasons, not to avoid an accident".

The Guardian - Tech

The study also found that people tended to assume other sexual identities for what Dr. Parks called "benign reasons".

The New York Times - Tech

And their benign reasons -- safeguarding the maturity of players or protecting their health -- are not excuses under the Sherman Act.

The New York Times - Sports

Other police impersonators, police chiefs and detectives say, masquerade as officers for more benign reasons, like trying to scare or impress someone.

The New York Times

Referring to "The Unconquered," he said the play is "about this idea of the Americans and British in Iraq doing it all for benign reasons, all for the good of the people".

The New York Times

Passengers are removed from an aircraft for benign reasons such as asking for a beverage, a child harness, speaking a foreign language, changing orupgrading seats, taking pictures, making videos, or questioning a long delay.

The Guardian

And even when published studies had been filed with the FDA, on several occasions the published conclusions differed from those reported to the FDA in ways that favoured the new drugs.Industry experts insist there are benign reasons for some of these discrepancies.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "benign reason", ensure that the context clearly indicates the absence of harmful intent. This prevents misinterpretation and reinforces the harmless nature of the reason.

Common error

Avoid using "benign reason" when the actual reason has potential negative consequences. Ensure that the reason is genuinely harmless and does not mask underlying issues.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "benign reason" functions as a noun phrase, where "benign" modifies the noun "reason". It describes the nature or quality of the reason, indicating it is harmless or not intended to cause harm. As Ludwig indicates, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "benign reason" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase, though relatively rare in occurrence. It functions to describe a harmless or non-malicious justification, often appearing in neutral to professional contexts such as news, media, and scientific writing. Ludwig confirms its proper usage and provides diverse examples. When using this phrase, ensure that the context clearly indicates the absence of harmful intent to avoid misinterpretation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

harmless motive

Replaces "reason" with "motive", focusing on the underlying drive without negative connotations.

innocuous explanation

Substitutes both words, suggesting a cause or justification that is unlikely to offend or harm.

acceptable rationale

Emphasizes the permissibility or suitability of the reasoning behind an action or decision.

justifiable cause

Highlights the legitimacy and validity of the reason, implying it's defensible.

valid pretext

Indicates an excuse or justification that holds up to scrutiny and is free of malicious intent.

non-malicious intention

Shifts the focus to the absence of harmful intent behind the reason.

unobjectionable purpose

Stresses that the aim or objective behind the action is not likely to be opposed or criticized.

favorable circumstance

Indicates that the situation or condition provides a positive or advantageous justification.

legitimate basis

Focuses on the lawfulness or permissibility of the foundation for an action or belief.

excusable ground

Suggests a reason that mitigates blame or provides a valid defense for an action.

FAQs

How can I use "benign reason" in a sentence?

You can use "benign reason" to describe a harmless or non-malicious explanation for something. For example, "The committee postponed the meeting for a benign reason."

What are some alternatives to "benign reason"?

Alternatives include "harmless motive", "innocuous explanation", or "acceptable rationale" depending on the specific context.

Is "benign reason" formal or informal?

"Benign reason" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, though it's more commonly seen in professional or neutral communications.

Can "benign reason" be used to justify a mistake?

While "benign reason" implies a harmless explanation, it's more appropriate to use it when describing intentions or motivations rather than justifying errors. In the case of mistakes, it would be more suitable to talk about "unintentional error".