nonthreatening
adjective
non·threat·en·ing
ˌnän-ˈthret-niŋ 
-ˈthre-tᵊn-iŋ
1
: not constituting a threat
a nonthreatening illness
2
: not likely to cause anxiety
a nonthreatening environment
also
: innocuous sense 2
Examples of nonthreatening in a Sentence
It's best to approach the dog in a calm, nonthreatening way.
Recent Examples on the Web
Her previous recipes have included homemade marmalade, ratatouille, pasta from scratch, and tzatziki dip, which all sound lovely and nonthreatening.
—
Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 31 Mar. 2023
Talk over your concerns with your boss in a nonthreatening and professional way.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2022
Much like Uncle Tom, Xavier, the perfect biracial teenager, is presented as a nonthreatening fantasy for the book’s white audience.
—Kiley Reid, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2020
There were only nine cases in the city; even to a doctor, that seemed nonthreatening.
—Jonathan Kolatch, WSJ, 7 Apr. 2020
See all Example Sentences for nonthreatening 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 31 Mar. 2023
Talk over your concerns with your boss in a nonthreatening and professional way.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2022
Much like Uncle Tom, Xavier, the perfect biracial teenager, is presented as a nonthreatening fantasy for the book’s white audience.
—Kiley Reid, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2020
There were only nine cases in the city; even to a doctor, that seemed nonthreatening.
—Jonathan Kolatch, WSJ, 7 Apr. 2020
See all Example Sentences for nonthreatening
Dictionary Entries Near nonthreatening
Cite this Entry
“Nonthreatening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonthreatening. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nonthreatening
adjective
non·threat·en·ing
-ˈthret-ᵊn-iŋ
1
: not constituting a threat
a nonthreatening illness
2
: not likely to cause anxiety
nonthreatening activities
also
: innocuous sense 2
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share