# balm

/ˈbɑɫm/ (US) · /bˈɑːm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/balm
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. soothing cream

noun · CEFR B2

a thick liquid or cream that you put on your skin to heal it or make it feel less painful.

For teachers: an aromatic ointment or preparation used to heal or soothe the skin.

- He applied a cooling lip balm to his dry, cracked lips.
- The pharmacist recommended a herbal balm containing calendula to soothe the patient's minor skin irritation.

### 2. emotional comfort

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

something that makes you feel calm or happy when you are sad or worried.

For teachers: something that has a comforting, soothing, or restorative effect on the mind or emotions.

- The quiet music was a balm to his tired mind after a long day.
- For the grieving widow, the kind words of her old friends acted as a balm to her wounded spirit.

### 3. the plant

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a sweet-smelling plant, like lemon balm, often used in tea or medicine.

For teachers: any of several aromatic herbs of the mint family, especially Melissa officinalis.

- She grew fresh balm in her garden to make herbal tea in the summer.
- The recipe calls for a handful of crushed lemon balm leaves to provide a subtle citrus undertone to the infusion.

### 4. to soothe

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

to make someone feel better or to make a pain less strong.

For teachers: to soothe, mitigate, or alleviate pain or emotional distress.

- The cool evening air helped to balm his burning skin.
- The poet sought to balm the collective sorrow of the nation through his elegiac verses.

Usage: This verb is rarely used in modern speech and is almost exclusively found in older literature.

## Examples

- She applied a cooling balm to her sunburned shoulders.
- The quiet stillness of the forest acted as a balm for his stressed and tired mind.
- The diplomat's measured words served as a necessary balm to the heated tensions that had threatened to derail the peace negotiations entirely.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.