nonlethal

adjective

non·​le·​thal ˌnän-ˈlē-thəl How to pronounce nonlethal (audio)
: not lethal : not capable of causing death
a nonlethal gas
nonlethal weapons
a nonlethal dose of venom

Examples of nonlethal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Prison guards used chemical agents and nonlethal weapons to subdue the riot that broke out about 10 a.m., fire and state corrections officials said. Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2025 The decision to begin Operation Ittai, shifting the organization from solely farming to arming civilians with nonlethal protective equipment following the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, was a natural shift, according to Waller. Angele Latham, The Tennessean, 2 Dec. 2024 As part of this, Europe must provide the overwhelming share of future lethal and nonlethal aid to Ukraine. Not unreasonable, although, in fact, Europe has provided almost as much military aid to Ukraine as has the United States, and more humanitarian aid. Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2025 Some American bishops declared that execution was wrong if nonlethal alternatives—such as life without parole—were available. Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nonlethal

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonlethal was in 1625

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Cite this Entry

“Nonlethal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonlethal. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

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