nonjudgmental

American  

[non-juhj-men-tl] / ˌnɒn dʒʌdʒˈmɛn tl /

adjective

1. not judged or judging on the basis of one's personal standards or opinions.

   They tried to adopt a nonjudgmental attitude that didn't reflect their own biases. My guidance counselor in high school was sympathetic and nonjudgmental.

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nonjudgmental British  

/ ˌnɒndʒʌdʒˈmɛntəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or denoting an attitude, approach, etc, that is open and not incorporating a judgment one way or the other

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Other Word Forms

• nonjudgmentally adverb

Etymology

Origin of nonjudgmental

First recorded in 1960–65; non- + judgmental

Explanation

Use the adjective nonjudgmental to describe someone who isn't overly critical. When you go to a friend for advice, you'll probably pick one you know will listen in a nonjudgmental way. When someone is judgmental, they approach all issues from a particular point of view, or in a critical way: in other words, they make moral judgments about them. If you're nonjudgmental, you're able to put aside these opinions and viewpoints, at least temporarily. The Latin root, iudicare, means "to judge or pronounce an opinion on."

Example Sentences

A look at Ms. Russell’s and Mr. Spero’s Twitter feeds belies that nonjudgmental pose even more glaringly than their study does.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

It’s one of many smart, rueful asides in what amounts to a nonjudgmental cinematic essay on the increasingly atomized nature of contemporary living.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

This sounds a bit intense, but it’s just a way of expressing your feelings in a nonjudgmental way.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 11, 2025

A tenant of doula care is nonjudgmental support, meaning the doula does not impose their values on the way a client chooses to approach their death.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2025

Dimple looked at Celia, trying to keep her expression as nonjudgmental as possible.

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon