ahimsa
noun
ahim·sa
ə-ˈhim-ˌsä 
: the Hindu and Buddhist doctrine of refraining from harming any living being
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Ahimsa has been part of the English language since at least the late 19th century, but the word didn't gain the attention of the English-speaking world until the first half of the 20th century, when it was recognized as an important component of the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. Ahimsa comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "noninjury," and Gandhi's policy of nonviolent protest played a crucial role in the political and social changes that eventually led to India's independence from Britain in 1947.
Examples of ahimsa in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jains grapple with the destructive impacts of everyday actions on other life-forms; their answer has been to reduce harm as much as possible through ahimsa, nonviolence.
—
Shayla Love, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2025
Over the last 18 years of being plant-based, my reasoning for not eating any sentient being has been influenced by the Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain philosophy of ahimsa, a belief system that teaches leading a nonviolent life and respecting all living beings.
—Lola Méndez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
During their meetings in L.A., Lawson and Lal often discussed Gandhi’s conception of ahimsa, the Sanskrit word for nonviolence.
—Tyrone Beason, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2024
The principle of ahimsa is a part of the yamas limb of the Yoga Sutras, which is often considered one of yoga’s ethical guidelines for moral codes.
—Michelle Konstantinovsky, SELF, 20 July 2022
Modi hopes to reach more people with the Jain teachings of ahimsa, or nonviolence in thought, word, and deed; nonpossessiveness; and acceptance of multiple viewpoints.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2021
Now the ancient Hindu principle of ahimsa, an exhortation to do no harm and revere life, is being used to encourage Hindus in North America to embrace the vaccine, said Dr. Kashyap Patel, a cardiologist in Atlanta who is a medical adviser to BAPS.
—New York Times, 14 Mar. 2021
His role models include leaders of the non-violent civil rights movement and Gandhi, who used the principle of ahimsa, doing no harm, to guide his own campaign of non-violence.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2020
The practice of ahimsa benefits wildlife but can also complicate procedures in animal hospitals.
—Oliver Whang, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2020
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Shayla Love, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2025
Over the last 18 years of being plant-based, my reasoning for not eating any sentient being has been influenced by the Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain philosophy of ahimsa, a belief system that teaches leading a nonviolent life and respecting all living beings.
—Lola Méndez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
During their meetings in L.A., Lawson and Lal often discussed Gandhi’s conception of ahimsa, the Sanskrit word for nonviolence.
—Tyrone Beason, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2024
The principle of ahimsa is a part of the yamas limb of the Yoga Sutras, which is often considered one of yoga’s ethical guidelines for moral codes.
—Michelle Konstantinovsky, SELF, 20 July 2022
Modi hopes to reach more people with the Jain teachings of ahimsa, or nonviolence in thought, word, and deed; nonpossessiveness; and acceptance of multiple viewpoints.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2021
Now the ancient Hindu principle of ahimsa, an exhortation to do no harm and revere life, is being used to encourage Hindus in North America to embrace the vaccine, said Dr. Kashyap Patel, a cardiologist in Atlanta who is a medical adviser to BAPS.
—New York Times, 14 Mar. 2021
His role models include leaders of the non-violent civil rights movement and Gandhi, who used the principle of ahimsa, doing no harm, to guide his own campaign of non-violence.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2020
The practice of ahimsa benefits wildlife but can also complicate procedures in animal hospitals.
—Oliver Whang, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Ahimsa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ahimsa. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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