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
  • And while the new study was conducted only among cancer patients, Mak said more research could reveal whether similar findings may emerge among otherwise healthy people who may be interested in their longevity.
    — Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Sophie, mom Annie and her great-aunt comprised The 3 Suckers — a play on the small side shoots that can stunt the growth of healthy leaves.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of healthy
Adjective
  • Attackers use it to control who reaches their malicious content while showing something harmless to other visitors.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Shortly before midnight, the squad determined the bags were harmless and contained no explosives, Anderson said.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of harmless
Adjective
  • The researchers reported that PROTEA could distinguish harmful and benign plans with reasonable accuracy, although the university’s announcement did not provide numerical detection rates.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Especially when your polling is no doubt telling you that progressives and anti-capitalists will struggle to trust any billionaire, however seemingly benign.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 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
  • The reaction of longtime fans to a packaging refresh tends to vary, but these new labels seem to be pretty inoffensive.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Craven similarly replicates the formula of inoffensive statement versus misogynistic backlash.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of inoffensive
Adjective
  • 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
  • This has made some machine translations comically inaccurate, sometimes turning innocuous words into vulgar references in English.
    — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 8 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
  • The results help scientists keep nuclear weapons safe and functional without having to set one off.
    — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Recent surveys featured in this newsletter have found Democrats believe more strongly that vaccines are safe and effective, and Republicans are often more skeptical.
    — Amanda Erickson, STAT, 20 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 22 Oct. 2026.

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