nonlethal
adjective
non·le·thal
ˌnän-ˈlē-thəl 
: 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
Multiple social media posts show police pushing people to the ground, kneeling on their backs and firing nonlethal ammunition to disperse the crowd.
—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 18 July 2025
The protective gear was used to help rioters withstand rubber bullets, tear gas, and other nonlethal munitions deployed by law enforcement.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2025
Campus safety officers are stationed in every middle and high school in the district but carry nonlethal weapons.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 25 June 2025
The 700 Marines were reportedly sent by President Donald Trump to Seal Beach, which is south of L.A. County, to train for nonlethal weapons training—including hand-to-hand combat and crowd control.
—Alexandra Koch , Liz Friden, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonlethal
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.
Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 18 July 2025
The protective gear was used to help rioters withstand rubber bullets, tear gas, and other nonlethal munitions deployed by law enforcement.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2025
Campus safety officers are stationed in every middle and high school in the district but carry nonlethal weapons.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 25 June 2025
The 700 Marines were reportedly sent by President Donald Trump to Seal Beach, which is south of L.A. County, to train for nonlethal weapons training—including hand-to-hand combat and crowd control.
—Alexandra Koch , Liz Friden, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonlethal
Cite this Entry
“Nonlethal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonlethal. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share