Definition

Adverb 1. In a manner that does not involve physical force or violence, especially for political or social goals: It describes actions, protests, or resistance carried out through peaceful means such as civil disobedience, strikes, or demonstrations.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:
  • The protesters demonstrated nonviolently, sitting quietly in the street.
  • The movement succeeded in changing the law nonviolently through persistent advocacy and dialogue.
  • He advocated for resisting the occupation nonviolently.

Advanced Usage

• "to resist nonviolently": to oppose a government, law, or policy using peaceful methods of protest and non-cooperation.
  • The citizens were trained to resist the unjust laws nonviolently.
• Often used in political and social contexts to describe the philosophy or methods of figures like Mahatma Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr.

Variants and Related Words

• Nonviolent (adjective): characterized by a lack of violence; peaceful.
  • They engaged in nonviolent civil disobedience.
• Nonviolence (noun): the principle or practice of using peaceful methods, not force, to bring about political or social change.
  • He was a devoted follower of nonviolence.

Synonyms

• Peacefully
• Passively (in specific contexts of resistance)
• Without violence

Antonyms

• Violently
• Forcefully
• Aggressively

Related Phrases

• Civil disobedience: the active, nonviolent refusal to obey certain laws as a form of protest.
  • Their nonviolent campaign took the form of civil disobedience.
• Peaceful protest: a demonstration against something without using violence.
  • The rally remained a completely nonviolent, peaceful protest.

Adverb

1. without violence
   • the government was overthrown nonviolently, but the dictator was killed