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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
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
-
While Pochettino said the substitution was purely precautionary, American fans will likely remain uneasy until Pulisic is back on the field and fully healthy.—
Matt Reigle,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
-
Four hours after a meal, a healthy stomach has cleared all but about 10% of its contents.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Not the harmless kind that arrives during a slow afternoon.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
The test itself is harmless, but acting on the results can cause harm.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Many spreading this story are doing so with little or no evidence of wrongdoing and are instead relying on information that is false or can be explained by more benign reasons.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
-
That something so benign could wreak so much havoc against the backdrop of a place as humdrum as a corner restaurant is what makes the story (written by TZ mainstay Richard Matheson) so terrifying.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
This is useful for all sorts of unobjectionable things, such as Covid testing and tracing.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
10 May 2026
-
Taking a reassuring tone, the post walks readers through a series of unobjectionable commitments.—
Maggie Harrison Dupré,
Futurism,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Breadwinner is aiming to recapture the satisfaction of going to see a three-out-of-five-star movie, offering decent laughs in an inoffensive package.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
-
The Luce’s design is friendly, clean, tidy, inoffensive, and unremarkable.—
Andrew P. Collins,
The Drive,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
The evidence suggests that a seemingly random sequence in an innocuous GPS field is broadcast to any device that asks for positioning data (yes, that includes your phone).—
Alan Henry,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
-
Though small and seemingly innocuous, carpet beetles will eat away at your carpets, rugs, and upholstery.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
The most common symptom of male breast cancer is a hard, painless lump located directly behind or near the nipple, according to experts.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
-
The industry is not pretending this is painless.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Despite a ballot mix-up by the State's vendor, the State Board of Elections (SBE) has maintained that all ballots and voting is safe.—
Bryant Reed,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
-
Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nonthreatening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonthreatening. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
