benign year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "benign year" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a year that is characterized by mildness, gentleness, or a lack of significant negative events or challenges. Example: "After several tumultuous years, the community finally experienced a benign year, allowing for growth and recovery."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The disasters came in an otherwise benign year for Lloyd's, whose underwriting syndicates protect against risks including earthquakes.

Independent

Clothing retailer Next offered some relief to hard-up shoppers today by signalling a "more benign year" for prices during 2012.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

But make no mistake, the benign years are well and truly over.Looking at UK university foundation rates since 1167 (Oxford's founding year), the average yearly growth rate is about 0.6%.

The Guardian

After ten benign years in the context of where we were...How would you look at the risk of a hurricane?

Huffington Post

Most adenomas remain benign; each year only 5 in 2,000 become cancerous, a transformation that occurs on average over 10 years.

The New York Times - Health

They have always competed in a global market, thriving not thanks to any favours from the government but under its benign neglect.Last year, the industry, (including other remote services, known as "business process outsourcing", or BPO) was estimated to have generated revenues of $36 billion, nearly 5% of GDP.

The Economist

The mean age was lowest for women with normal ovarian samples (49 years, range 41 - 57) followed by those with LMP tumors (52 years, range 25 - 76) compared with benign (61 years, range 46 - 69) and invasive tumors (62 years, range 25 - 80), although these differences did not quite reach statistical significance (p = 0.08, Kruskal-Wallis test).

BMC Cancer

No significant differences were found between the mean age of animals carrying benign (11.5 years) and malignant neoplasms (12 years).

BMC Veterinary Research

And considering that savings-and-loan shark Charles Keating Charles Keating 's scheme cost taxpayers a cool $3.4 billion, he got a relatively benign 12-year and seven-month sentence and actually clocked just four years.

Forbes

After Mandela's fairly benign five-year term he was replaced in 1999 by Thabo Mbeki, a prickly character whose relationship with the press soured when he was heavily criticised for his Aids denialist views.

The Guardian

Colleen Woodell, chief quality officer for public finance, acknowledged that municipal debt had defaulted at lower rates than corporate issues, but she noted that the data covered a relatively benign 20-year period.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "benign year" to describe periods characterized by a lack of significant negative events, especially in contexts where other periods were turbulent or challenging.

Common error

Avoid using "benign year" when describing overtly positive or celebratory periods; it's best suited for highlighting the absence of negative events rather than emphasizing active success or joy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "benign year" functions as an adjective-noun combination, where "benign" modifies "year". It describes a specific quality or characteristic of the year, indicating a period free from significant harm or disruption. As Ludwig AI points out, this usage is correct and appropriate.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "benign year" is a grammatically correct and usable expression in English, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It functions as an adjective-noun combination, describing a year characterized by mildness or a lack of significant negative events. While relatively rare in usage, it appears in both News & Media and Science contexts. To ensure effective communication, it's best to use "benign year" to highlight periods of calm or stability, especially when contrasting with more turbulent times. Avoid overusing it in overly positive contexts, where more celebratory language might be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Favorable year

Replaces "benign" with a more direct term for positive conditions.

Mild year

Focuses on the lack of severity or harshness, similar to "benign".

Gentle year

Emphasizes a lack of turbulence or difficulty.

Untroubled year

Emphasizes freedom from worries or problems.

A year of calm

Uses a noun phrase to convey a sense of tranquility.

Prosperous year

Shifts the focus to economic success and well-being.

A year without incident

Focuses on the lack of notable or negative events.

Harmless year

Highlights the lack of negative impact or damage.

Innocuous year

Similar to "harmless", suggesting a lack of harmful effects.

Peaceful year

Highlights the absence of conflict or unrest.

FAQs

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

You can use "benign year" to describe a period marked by a lack of significant negative events, such as "After several turbulent years, the community experienced a relatively "benign year"".

What's a good alternative to "benign year"?

Alternatives include "favorable year", "mild year", or "peaceful year", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "a benign year"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct to say "a benign year". The article "a" is appropriate when referring to a single year characterized as benign.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "benign year"?

The phrase "benign year" is appropriate when describing a year characterized by mildness, gentleness, or a lack of significant negative events or challenges. It's especially useful when contrasting with more turbulent periods.