1
as in nonthreatening
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
2
as in benign
Related Words
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 unthreatening
Being unable to cut inside onto his stronger foot meant that the Brazilian was often running out of space, forced onto his right foot before making unthreatening passes into the middle of the pitch.
—
Mark Carey, New York Times, 28 June 2025
But then, the notion advanced by the Trump administration that it would be focused on hardened criminals is a ruse, as relatively unthreatening undocumented immigrants — some with legal standing to be in the country — have been targeted from early on.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
The team wasn’t overawed, nor overly emotional; there was an intelligence to its play, dropping deep to conserve energy, allowing Chelsea possession in unthreatening areas.
—Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
Meanwhile Hussein, desperate to prove himself as an unthreatening American, goes all-in on assimilation.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unthreatening
Mark Carey, New York Times, 28 June 2025
But then, the notion advanced by the Trump administration that it would be focused on hardened criminals is a ruse, as relatively unthreatening undocumented immigrants — some with legal standing to be in the country — have been targeted from early on.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
The team wasn’t overawed, nor overly emotional; there was an intelligence to its play, dropping deep to conserve energy, allowing Chelsea possession in unthreatening areas.
—Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
Meanwhile Hussein, desperate to prove himself as an unthreatening American, goes all-in on assimilation.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unthreatening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unthreatening
Adjective
-
Instead of the industrial look favored by many rival robots, NEO is notable for its aggressively nonthreatening appearance.—
James Vincent,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
-
Here, grizzlies don’t equate people with food—as opposed to populated areas where alluring smells forge a connection—and have learned to tolerate humans, thanks to decades of naturalists adopting nonthreatening practices.—
Susan Portnoy,
AFAR Media,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Nestled in the tiny eastern Connecticut town, the century-old building that once housed Burdick’s General Store appears to be an ordinary, benign example of historic New England architecture.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
9 Jan. 2026
-
While largely benign, motion sickness can be highly unpleasant — often causing nausea, vomiting, and dizziness, as well as sweating, headache, and irritability in some cases.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The infection develops when usually harmless bacteria travel through the respiratory tract and infiltrate the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, causing severe inflammation.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
NBC news,
11 Jan. 2026
-
By adjusting a typical polymer synthesis to work in water, the researchers created the gas-permeable polymer polynorbornene, which is harmless to plants but which weakens the cell membranes of a various harmful bacteria.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The main threat will be in the morning into the afternoon hours where conditions will be more favorable for severe development.—
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
This matchup, then, could be favorable for the Birds.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The calls were fairly innocuous and typically would not raise eyebrows.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
-
With a full roster in hand, the group will call employees directly, pretending to be a new hire with innocuous-seeming questions about platforms, cloud access, and other tech infrastructure.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
1 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Browns Cleveland boasts an elite defense led by the league’s best pass rusher, an owner who spends more cash than any other team and a promising nucleus from the 2025 draft class.—
Jacob Robinson,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Creativity, romance and pleasure take on a more serious tone, and a connection could feel both exciting and promising.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The interior of your appliances, like the inside of your oven or microwave, is generally safe for Magic Eraser use.—
Tessa Cooper,
The Spruce,
13 Jan. 2026
-
In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The start of the second half was encouraging for the Heat, which cut the deficit to seven points multiple times in the third quarter.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The experience gave each child a chance to practice communication and reading skills in a warm and encouraging atmosphere.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unthreatening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unthreatening. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share