nonlethal
adjective
non·le·thal
ˌnän-ˈlē-thəl 
: 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
California wildlife officials plan to complete a status review of the wolf population and are exploring the possibility of allowing harsher methods to haze the animals, including firing nonlethal ammunition at them.
—
Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2025
The agency in recent years has been investing more in nonlethal methods to keep wildlife away from livestock and their feed, like guard dogs, electric fencing, audio/visual deterrents, bird repellent research, and fladry — tying flags along fences, which can scare off some predators.
—Kenny Torrella, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Staff used chemical agents and nonlethal weapons to intervene and attempted to perform lifesaving measures, but Rodriguez was pronounced dead at an outside medical facility, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Among the bill’s requirements would be an assessment of the current black bear population, strategies for minimizing human-bear conflicts, public education initiatives, nonlethal deterrence methods, evaluation of population control measures and waste management practices to reduce attractants.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonlethal
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.
Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2025
The agency in recent years has been investing more in nonlethal methods to keep wildlife away from livestock and their feed, like guard dogs, electric fencing, audio/visual deterrents, bird repellent research, and fladry — tying flags along fences, which can scare off some predators.
—Kenny Torrella, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Staff used chemical agents and nonlethal weapons to intervene and attempted to perform lifesaving measures, but Rodriguez was pronounced dead at an outside medical facility, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Among the bill’s requirements would be an assessment of the current black bear population, strategies for minimizing human-bear conflicts, public education initiatives, nonlethal deterrence methods, evaluation of population control measures and waste management practices to reduce attractants.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonlethal
Cite this Entry
“Nonlethal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonlethal. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share