as in peaceful
not involving violence or force
nonviolent protests
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Recent Examples of nonviolent
The group emphasized its commitment to nonviolent action and urged demonstrators to de-escalate tensions with those who disagree with their values.
—
Kiah Collier, Austin American Statesman, 24 Jan. 2026
The Shakers, a sect of Christianity named for their ecstatic worship dancing, were nonviolent and refused to fight in the Revolutionary War upon settling in Upstate New York.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
Current law authorizes aging parole only for nonviolent offenders.
—Keaton Ross, Oklahoma Watch, 23 Jan. 2026
Experts say while some practices by volunteers are acts of nonviolent civil disobedience, others may fall into murkier legal territory.
—Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonviolent
Kiah Collier, Austin American Statesman, 24 Jan. 2026
The Shakers, a sect of Christianity named for their ecstatic worship dancing, were nonviolent and refused to fight in the Revolutionary War upon settling in Upstate New York.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
Current law authorizes aging parole only for nonviolent offenders.
—Keaton Ross, Oklahoma Watch, 23 Jan. 2026
Experts say while some practices by volunteers are acts of nonviolent civil disobedience, others may fall into murkier legal territory.
—Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonviolent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonviolent
Adjective
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Amid persisting violence from criminal groups in a country long considered a peaceful tourist hub, polling reveals that Costa Ricans are most concerned about security this year.—
Djenane Villanueva,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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After a peaceful march to the Georgia State Capitol that swelled into the hundreds, protestors returned to the area around the Centennial Olympic Park and CNN Center, where some confronted police, who sprayed some demonstrators with pepper spray.—
Ernie Suggs,
AJC.com,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Making something that is not America—is communal where America is individualist, is peaceable where America is warring.—
Katherine Packert Burke,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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Perhaps, like Flaubert, Kubrick knew that his domestic tidiness and calmness enabled him to commit to the screen far less peaceable visions in such classic films as Dr. Strangelove (1964) or 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nonviolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonviolent. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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