nonlethal

adjective

non·​le·​thal ˌnän-ˈlē-thəl How to pronounce nonlethal (audio)
: not lethal : not capable of causing death
a nonlethal gas
nonlethal weapons
a nonlethal dose of venom

Examples of nonlethal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The protective gear was used to help rioters withstand rubber bullets, tear gas, and other nonlethal munitions deployed by law enforcement. David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2025 Campus safety officers are stationed in every middle and high school in the district but carry nonlethal weapons. Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 25 June 2025 The 700 Marines were reportedly sent by President Donald Trump to Seal Beach, which is south of L.A. County, to train for nonlethal weapons training—including hand-to-hand combat and crowd control. Alexandra Koch , Liz Friden, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025 Lauren Tomasi Tomasi, a U.S. correspondent for 9News Australia, was hit in the leg by a nonlethal round while reporting live from downtown Los Angeles on Saturday. Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for nonlethal

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonlethal was in 1625

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Cite this Entry

“Nonlethal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonlethal. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

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