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.
“That nonviolent escalation leaves room for more talks, but will likely push oil prices higher in the interim.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 12, 2026
Others carried signs for “Good Trouble,” a phrase calling people to nonviolent protest coined by the late Democratic Rep. John Lewis, whose district included Decatur.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026
The Yellow Vests were mostly nonviolent and had little or no experience of mass mobilization.
From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026
In the following years, they built a flourishing movement fighting for farmworkers’ rights, employing marches, fasts and other nonviolent protest actions.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026
It’s like trying to imagine any falsehood: that the sun revolves around the earth; that humans can fly; that the world is nonviolent.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
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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.