Which term is the opposite of malignant?

• A. Malignant
• B. Neoplasm
• C. Benign
• D. Lesion

Answer: (C)

Understanding how tumors are described helps you pick the opposite of malignant. Malignant refers to cancerous tissue that can invade surrounding structures and spread to distant sites (metastasize). Benign refers to noncancerous tissue that tends to stay localized, with well-defined borders and no ability to metastasize. A neoplasm is a general term for any new growth, which can be either benign or malignant, so it isn’t inherently the opposite of malignant. A lesion is a broad term for any abnormal area of tissue, not specifically tied to cancer risk. Therefore, benign is the term that directly describes a growth that is not cancerous, making it the opposite of malignant.