nonthreatening

adjective

non·​threat·​en·​ing ˌnän-ˈthret-niŋ 

-ˈthre-tᵊn-iŋ

1

: not constituting a threat

a nonthreatening illness

2

: not likely to cause anxiety

a nonthreatening environment

also : innocuous sense 2

Examples of nonthreatening in a Sentence

It's best to approach the dog in a calm, nonthreatening way.

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead of the industrial look favored by many rival robots, NEO is notable for its aggressively nonthreatening appearance. —James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025

Here, grizzlies don’t equate people with food—as opposed to populated areas where alluring smells forge a connection—and have learned to tolerate humans, thanks to decades of naturalists adopting nonthreatening practices. —Susan Portnoy, AFAR Media, 3 Oct. 2025

There have been 14 missiles fired — 13 were knocked down, and 1 was ‘set free,’ because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction. —Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2025

There have been 14 missiles fired — 13 were knocked down, and 1 was 'set free,' because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction. —Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nonthreatening

• threatening

Kids Definition

nonthreatening

adjective

non·​threat·​en·​ing -ˈthret-ᵊn-iŋ 

1

: not constituting a threat

a nonthreatening illness

2

: not likely to cause anxiety

nonthreatening activities

also : innocuous sense 2