nonviolence

American  

[non-vahy-uh-luhns] / nɒnˈvaɪ ə ləns /

noun

1. absence or lack of violence; state or condition of avoiding violence.

2. the policy, practice, or technique of refraining from the use of violence, especially when reacting to or protesting against oppression, injustice, discrimination, or the like.

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nonviolence British  

/ nɒnˈvaɪələns /

noun

1. abstention from the use of physical force to achieve goals

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Other Word Forms

• nonviolent adjective

Etymology

Origin of nonviolence

First recorded in 1830–35; nonviolence def. 2 was brought into prominence by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920–25, and again by Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1955–60; non- + violence; possibly a loan translation of Sanskrit ahiṃsā; ahimsa ( def. )

Example Sentences

Participants carried signs denouncing “authoritarianism” and calling for the protection of democratic institutions, with many events emphasizing nonviolence and community organizing.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

King’s genius was recognizing that there was another equilibrium—and that reaching it required not only protest, but coordinated collective action and a credible, sustained commitment to nonviolence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

“I would say he lived by his principles of nonviolence and equality and love also in the home. “

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 10, 2025

And it only confused and offended Kennedy further when Smith tried to warn him that sometime in the not-too-distant future even those who preached nonviolence, like himself, would become fed up.

From Slate • Aug. 18, 2025

Many of the Indian leaders were now speaking in a sorrowful tone about the end of nonviolence.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• pacification
• pacifism