nonviolent

adjective

non·​vi·​o·​lent ˌnän-ˈvī-ə-lənt How to pronounce nonviolent (audio)
Synonyms of nonviolentnext
: abstaining or free from violence
nonviolently adverb

Synonyms of nonviolent

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of nonviolent in a Sentence

He argued that nonviolent drug offenders should receive shorter sentences.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The movement is widely considered to be an artistic precursor to the modern BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement promoting nonviolent resistance to Israeli occupation. — News Desk, Artforum, 28 Aug. 2026 Woody, 44, is not believed to be armed or dangerous and was in custody on nonviolent charges, deputies said. — Brandon Downs, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 Authorities said Woody was not believed to be armed or dangerous; he had been jailed on nonviolent charges. — Sacbee.com, 23 Aug. 2026 The agency has made a wider push to restore gun rights to people with certain felony convictions, including nonviolent theft and drug offenses, according to a final rule published Monday. — Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nonviolent

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonviolent was in 1905

Rhymes for nonviolent

See All Rhymes for nonviolent

Browse Nearby Words

nonviolence
nonviolent
nonviral
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nonviolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonviolent. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

nonviolent

adjective
non·​vi·​o·​lent (ˈ)nän-ˈvī-ə-lənt How to pronounce nonviolent (audio)
1
: not using violence : peaceful
2
: of, relating to, or marked by nonviolence
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All