nonviolent
adjective
non·vi·o·lent
ˌnän-ˈvī-ə-lənt 
: abstaining or free from violence
nonviolently
adverb
Examples of nonviolent in a Sentence
He argued that nonviolent drug offenders should receive shorter sentences.
Recent Examples on the Web
George Gascón, who eliminated cash bail for misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies and championed rehabilitation over punitive sentencing.
—
National Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
Your mother doesn’t practice nonviolent communication.
—Taiye Selasi, New Yorker, 31 May 2026
Critics worry that the buffer zones could be used to quell nonviolent demonstrations or criminalize free speech.
—CBS News, 28 May 2026
In 2017, a bipartisan coalition of Louisiana legislators had passed an ambitious package of bills designed to reduce the number of nonviolent offenders behind bars — and with it the state’s nation-leading prison population.
—Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 22 May 2026
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National Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
Your mother doesn’t practice nonviolent communication.
—Taiye Selasi, New Yorker, 31 May 2026
Critics worry that the buffer zones could be used to quell nonviolent demonstrations or criminalize free speech.
—CBS News, 28 May 2026
In 2017, a bipartisan coalition of Louisiana legislators had passed an ambitious package of bills designed to reduce the number of nonviolent offenders behind bars — and with it the state’s nation-leading prison population.
—Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonviolent
Cite this Entry
“Nonviolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonviolent. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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nonviolent
adjective
non·vi·o·lent
(ˈ)nän-ˈvī-ə-lənt
1
: not using violence : peaceful
2
: of, relating to, or marked by nonviolence
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