nonviolent
adjective
non·vi·o·lent
ˌnän-ˈvī-ə-lənt 
: abstaining or free from violence
nonviolently
adverb
Examples of nonviolent in a Sentence
He argued that nonviolent drug offenders should receive shorter sentences.
Recent Examples on the Web
All No Kings events follow a commitment to nonviolent action, according to the organizer’s website.
—
Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2025
State Republicans led passage of the First Step Act, billing the legislation that created shorter sentences for nonviolent offenders as an effort to end overincarceration.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 8 Sep. 2025
So, for example, [third-degree robbery], which is forcibly taking property from a person, which is violent, that's deemed as a nonviolent crime.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Hamza Namira is an Egyptian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music rose to prominence during the 25 January revolution in 2011, a day of nonviolent protests against increasing police brutality during the last few years of Hosni Mubarak’s presidency.
—Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonviolent
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.
Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2025
State Republicans led passage of the First Step Act, billing the legislation that created shorter sentences for nonviolent offenders as an effort to end overincarceration.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 8 Sep. 2025
So, for example, [third-degree robbery], which is forcibly taking property from a person, which is violent, that's deemed as a nonviolent crime.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Hamza Namira is an Egyptian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music rose to prominence during the 25 January revolution in 2011, a day of nonviolent protests against increasing police brutality during the last few years of Hosni Mubarak’s presidency.
—Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonviolent
Cite this Entry
“Nonviolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonviolent. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nonviolent
adjective
non·vi·o·lent
(ˈ)nän-ˈvī-ə-lənt
1
: not using violence : peaceful
2
: of, relating to, or marked by nonviolence
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share