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 story of his death broke the show’s mold, unfolding in nonlinear fashion.
—Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
His writing here is associative and nonlinear, not quite random but devoid of explicit plot or theme.
—Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
Traditional photon-pair sources rely on nonlinear crystals, where a powerful laser photon splits into two lower-energy photons.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 8 Mar. 2026
Linear focus is based on the rotation angle and spans from the minimum focus distance to infinity, while nonlinear focus is based on the rotation speed.
—Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonlinear
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Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
His writing here is associative and nonlinear, not quite random but devoid of explicit plot or theme.
—Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
Traditional photon-pair sources rely on nonlinear crystals, where a powerful laser photon splits into two lower-energy photons.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 8 Mar. 2026
Linear focus is based on the rotation angle and spans from the minimum focus distance to infinity, while nonlinear focus is based on the rotation speed.
—Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonlinear
Cite this Entry
“Nonlinear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonlinear. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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