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
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Florida ranks as the No. 1 place in the world for the most nonlethal shark bites each year. USA TODAY, 31 Oct. 2024 Police in riot gear shut down encampments and fired nonlethal projectiles into crowds. Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 24 Oct. 2024 There are parts of Usher’s bubble-gum dystopia that help Mystery Men still feel novel 22 years after release, like the villainous goons obsessed with disco, Tom Waits’s junkyard of nonlethal inventions, and Michael Bay playing a decent human being. Sean Malin, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024 Even in nonlethal cases, cardiovascular disease can have long-lasting effects on an individual’s health and quality of life. Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 8 Oct. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near nonlethal

Cite this Entry

“Nonlethal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonlethal. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

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