Nonviolent
/ˌnɒnˈvaɪələnt/
Definitions
Not using or characterized by violence; peaceful.
/ˌnɒnˈvaɪələnt/
Not involving or using violence.
Gandhi's philosophy emphasized nonviolent resistance.
💡 Simply: Imagine a peaceful protest where people sit down and sing instead of fighting. That's nonviolent! It's about getting your point across without hurting anyone.
👶 For kids: Being nonviolent means not using hitting, pushing, or being mean.
More Examples
The nonviolent movement successfully brought about social change.
They chose a nonviolent strategy for resolving the conflict.
How It's Used
"The protestors adopted a nonviolent approach to their demonstrations."
"Martin Luther King Jr. championed nonviolent resistance as a strategy for civil rights."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
Nonviolent resistance
The practice of achieving goals through protest, civil disobedience, and other methods without violence.
"Nonviolent resistance was a key strategy in the Civil Rights Movement."
From non- (not) + violent. 'Violent' itself comes from Latin 'violentus' meaning 'forceful, impetuous'.
The term gained prominence in the 20th century, particularly with the movements led by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.
Memory tip
Think of 'non-' as 'not' and 'violent' as 'forceful'. Nonviolent means not forceful.