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 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 Talk over your concerns with your boss in a nonthreatening and professional way. — Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2022 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
  • Current reports from the ship confirm continuous access to clean water, functional AC, and healthy meal options.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • So swimming, a life-enhancing, healthy activity, indoors and especially outdoors in nature, has been vastly curtailed.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of healthy
Adjective
  • These are harmless plant relatives consisting of an algae and fungus growing together.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
  • By contrast, another participant recalled disagreeing with a friend who believed drinking soda and eating fast food was harmless, a belief the participant considered factually wrong.
    — Andras Molnar, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of harmless
Adjective
  • That’s how this dinner kicks off, after a minuscule, benign moment of small talk between him and Georgia.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026
  • It gets inherited, reinforced, until the final control endorses the input as benign.
    — Claude Mandy, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of benign
Adjective
  • 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
  • And on the surface, Lind's premise is unobjectionable.
    — Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Definition of unobjectionable
Adjective
  • On the surface, Little House on the Prairie is one of the most inoffensive and wholesome shows of all time.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 17 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of inoffensive
Adjective
  • César Gastélum, the group’s front man, had become famous for such innocuous pranks.
    — Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But many social media platforms have become overly reliant on AI modding tools that have been quick to penalize users for innocuous content.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of innocuous
Adjective
  • Solar retinopathy — retinal damage as a result of viewing the sun, according to Cleveland Clinic — is typically painless.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Bat teeth are so small that their bites can be painless or barely noticeable.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of painless
Adjective
  • Fernandes says the north side of the park is much better than the south side because his team is working section by section to bring change, noting that a safe park is critical to the well-being of the people who live in the area.
    — Jeff Nguyen, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Willingham said Wednesday that city governments have a responsibility to make sure information collected about their residents is kept safe, especially since Flock contracts are paid for with public funds.
    — Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of safe

Browse Nearby Words

nonthinking
nonthreatening
nontotalitarian
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nonthreatening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonthreatening. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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