nonviolent
Americanadjective
-
not violent; free of violence.
-
peacefully resistant, as in response to or protest against injustice, especially on moral or philosophical grounds.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nonviolent
Vocabulary lists containing nonviolent
We're not asking, we're demanding: Vocabulary from "Selma," the movie
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: non-
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Roy would use the city attorney’s role as the prosecutor of most misdemeanor crimes to funnel nonviolent offenders into diversion programs, such as mental health treatment or vocational training.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
The nun recovered from her head injuries and the perpetrator was quickly detained, but victims and rights groups say most incidents, which are usually nonviolent, go unpunished.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
And it’s odd to see Quaker listed so prominently as their doctrine is famously nonviolent and anti-war.
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026
George Gascón, who eliminated cash bail for misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies and championed rehabilitation over punitive sentencing.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026
Hundreds of thousands of nonviolent offenders have been forced to spend decades in prison.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.