nonlinear
adjective
non·lin·e·ar
ˌnän-ˈli-nē-ər 
: not linear
nonlinear thinking
a nonlinear narrative
… I was already interested in the nonlinear manner in which ideas and fashions travel through our culture …—
Lyall Watson
Lyall Watson
nonlinearly
adverb
Examples of nonlinear in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The in-house caliber 113, a hand-wound movement with a 10-day power reserve, also drives a patented nonlinear power reserve indicator that appears to slow down as the time to wind approaches.
—Carol Besler, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Blue Valentine tells the story of a married couple — Dean and Cindy — that unravels throughout the course of the movie, which is told in a nonlinear fashion.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
In 1999, Stamp starred in director Steven Soderbergh’s nonlinear revenge film The Limey.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 17 Aug. 2025
The nonlinear structure also serves a more important purpose.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonlinear
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.
Carol Besler, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Blue Valentine tells the story of a married couple — Dean and Cindy — that unravels throughout the course of the movie, which is told in a nonlinear fashion.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
In 1999, Stamp starred in director Steven Soderbergh’s nonlinear revenge film The Limey.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 17 Aug. 2025
The nonlinear structure also serves a more important purpose.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonlinear
Cite this Entry
“Nonlinear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonlinear. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share