nonconsensual

American  

[non-kuhn-sen-shoo-uhl] / ˌnɒn kənˈsɛn ʃu əl /

adjective

1. not agreed to by one or more of the parties involved.

   The crime of battery is defined in the state penal code as any unwanted and nonconsensual physical contact.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonconsensually
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of nonconsensual

First recorded in 1840–45; non- ( def. ) + consensual ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nonconsensual

“Any accusation of nonconsensual behavior is categorically false,” he said on Monday.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

"We will carefully assess these changes to make sure they effectively protect citizens in the EU," European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said in a statement, which followed sharp criticism over the nonconsensual undressed images.

From Barron's ● Jan. 14, 2026

In May, Congress passed the Take It Down Act, a law that makes it a federal crime to knowingly publish nonconsensual intimate imagery of minors or adults—whether real or AI-generated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2025

Members of Congress have competing proposals that would expand federal criminal and civil penalties for the nonconsensual distribution of AI-generated intimate imagery.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2024

You will spend hours on the phone with your health insurance company, with doctors’ offices, and with pharmacies, and sometimes all three at once, after you’ve perfected the art of the nonconsensual conference call.

From Slate ● Jan. 28, 2024