nonthreatening

adjective

Definition of nonthreateningnext
as in healthy
not likely to cause someone to be afraid or worried; not threatening It's best to approach the dog in a calm, nonthreatening way.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of nonthreatening 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 These feel natural and nonthreatening but still move the conversation forward. — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025 That last one may simply be unique to Logan Lerman, the latest nonthreatening boy to take center stage in HAIM’s new album rollout. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025 Her previous recipes have included homemade marmalade, ratatouille, pasta from scratch, and tzatziki dip, which all sound lovely and nonthreatening. — Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 31 Mar. 2023 See All Example Sentences for nonthreatening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonthreatening
  1. healthy
  2. harmless
  3. benign
  4. unobjectionable
  5. inoffensive
  6. innocuous
  7. painless
  8. safe
Adjective
  • Getting Williams back healthy had been central to Oklahoma City’s goal of returning to the NBA Finals.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Both of these elements challenge different facets of balance, strength, and mobility, all of which are important for healthy aging and everyday activities.
    — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of healthy
Adjective
  • These symptoms can have harmless explanations, and Midnight Mimosa may operate without obvious warning signs.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This allows the system to identify actions that may appear harmless individually but become dangerous in context.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of harmless
Adjective
  • Last year around this time, cyclical-sector outperformance, approaching fiscal tailwinds and benign credit conditions were telling us not to worry about economic growth into 2026.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Until Friday, though, weather across Southern California will likely be benign, though extremely high tides could bring a different kind of water hazard.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of benign
Adjective
  • On its face, Barker said much of the advice sounds unobjectionable.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Such qualities might be unobjectionable, even desirable, in and of themselves, but their ubiquitous appearance across the internet has turned them into instant design clichés.
    — Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 24 June 2026
Definition of unobjectionable
Adjective
  • Whether the result handsome or simply inoffensive is a matter of taste.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of inoffensive
Adjective
  • The latest incidents reported by OpenAI highlight how agents can autonomously weaken safety guardrails while carrying out seemingly innocuous tasks.
    — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
  • My main issue with these beloved and mostly innocuous $16 drinking glasses is less about their design and more about their never-ending trail of replicas.
    — Francesca Krempa, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of innocuous
Adjective
  • Breakouts can look like milder, painless white bumps or dark specks known as whiteheads and blackheads, or more painful red bumps and deeper cysts — a mark of cystic acne.
    — Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In contrast, the various legal methods of human execution — from hanging to electrocution to gassing — are neither peaceful nor painless.
    — Dr. Jacob Appel, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of painless
Adjective
  • Students and teachers deserve safe buildings, and taxpayers deserve a clear explanation of what went wrong.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The high-voltage electronic safe-and-arm fuze is a mechanical device that controls the detonation of a warhead carried by a drone.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of safe

Browse Nearby Words

nonthinking
nonthreatening
nontotalitarian
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Cite this Entry

“Nonthreatening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonthreatening. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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