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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Recent Examples of nonthreatening
These feel natural and nonthreatening but still move the conversation forward.
—
Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Pittsburgh Penguins The Athletic rating: 3.5 (6th) Fan rating: 3.7 (7th)
McIndoe: Penguins are adorable, nonthreatening and almost completely harmless.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 20 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
Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Pittsburgh Penguins The Athletic rating: 3.5 (6th) Fan rating: 3.7 (7th)
McIndoe: Penguins are adorable, nonthreatening and almost completely harmless.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 20 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
Adjective
-
But his family says Ty was perfectly healthy before suddenly dying.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Kailer Yamamoto and Liam O’Brien, who was in the lineup after 18 games as a healthy scratch, also scored for the Mammoth, who won their fourth straight road game.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the classic version, participants play a kind of video game in which human figures—some Black, some white—are holding either guns or harmless objects.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
8 Apr. 2026
-
This makes harmful language appear harmless or funny.—
Sharlette A. Kellum,
The Conversation,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
All of them caught the TPC San Antonio in benign conditions with very little wind, and morning rain that not only softened the course but led officials to allow for preferred lies.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Human disease may be acute, chronic, malignant, or benign, and it is usually indicated by signs and symptoms such as fever or vomiting.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While a standard Whiskey Sour is a delightful experience, almost invariably mixed with bourbon and made smooth and unobjectionable with egg white, the Rattlesnake is that same framework but greener.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
10 Jan. 2026
-
After all, humans often intervene in the natural order in morally unobjectionable ways.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
13 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Matter of fact, none of his trademark charisma or humor can be found on the entire album, which seems like a complete misunderstanding of the genre as self-serious and inoffensive.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
17 Mar. 2026
-
DeBrusk is the definition of a top-six guy and his top comps — Reilly Smith, Tyler Toffoli, Jason Zucker — speak to his inoffensive archetype.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
No idea, belief, purchase, product, or event can be ordinary or innocuous.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Officially, the plane was civilian doing innocuous civilian things.—
David Szondy
March 29,
New Atlas,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The new test, developed by PinkDx, is quick, straightforward and painless, according to the company.—
Dr. Chidimma J. Acholonu,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
That the Blue Jackets were able to make this acquisition as painless as possible for the Canucks from all of those structural vantage points, restrained the acquisition cost.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Jose Fernandez, an above-average runner, was safe at home, and Moreno went to third.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Spray dry toilet paper with cleansing, soothing and refreshing Pristine to create an instant wet wipe that is actually flushable and safe for your sewer and septic systems.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nonthreatening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonthreatening. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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