nonthreatening

adjective

non·​threat·​en·​ing ˌnän-ˈthret-niŋ 

-ˈthre-tᵊn-iŋ

1

: not constituting a threat

a nonthreatening illness

2

: not likely to cause anxiety

a nonthreatening environment

also : innocuous sense 2

Examples of nonthreatening in a Sentence

It's best to approach the dog in a calm, nonthreatening way.

Recent Examples on the Web

Her previous recipes have included homemade marmalade, ratatouille, pasta from scratch, and tzatziki dip, which all sound lovely and nonthreatening. —Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 31 Mar. 2023

Talk over your concerns with your boss in a nonthreatening and professional way. —Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2022

Much like Uncle Tom, Xavier, the perfect biracial teenager, is presented as a nonthreatening fantasy for the book’s white audience. —Kiley Reid, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2020

There were only nine cases in the city; even to a doctor, that seemed nonthreatening. —Jonathan Kolatch, WSJ, 7 Apr. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

nonthreatening

adjective

non·​threat·​en·​ing -ˈthret-ᵊn-iŋ 

1

: not constituting a threat

a nonthreatening illness

2

: not likely to cause anxiety

nonthreatening activities

also : innocuous sense 2