nonbinary
adjective
non·bi·na·ry
ˌnän-ˈbī-nə-rē 
-ˌner-ē,
-ˌne-rē
: not binary: such as
a
: not restricted to two things or parts
nonbinary voting
b
: of, relating to, or being a system of numbers that does not use 2 as its base
nonbinary math
c
or non-binary
: relating to or being a person who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that is neither entirely male nor entirely female
non-binary people
… an effort to create more equality for nonbinary and transgender students across campus.—
Phoebe Roe
Phoebe Roe… many people with nonbinary genders use "they" and "their" pronouns …—Lucy Brisbane
Lucy Brisbane… the normalization of sharing pronouns emphasizes the fact that everyone has preferred pronouns, not just trans and non-binary folks.—Christina M. Xiao
Christina M. XiaoExamples of nonbinary in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Here are some nonbinary genders recognized by cultures around the world.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Three Films, Five Cities is an urgent response to the current moment; offering a flexible, collaborative, and rotating distribution plan to further realize our mission to introduce indie films directed by women and nonbinary filmmakers to audiences.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 1 Apr. 2026
The survey of nearly 1,000 trans and nonbinary people ages 13 to 24 found that higher levels of gender euphoria are associated with 47% lower odds of depression, 37% lower odds of anxiety, and 37% lower odds of suicidal ideation.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 31 Mar. 2026
In 2020, the Legislature passed the Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act, which enables transgender, nonbinary and intersex people entering the correctional system to self-identify their gender.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonbinary
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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Three Films, Five Cities is an urgent response to the current moment; offering a flexible, collaborative, and rotating distribution plan to further realize our mission to introduce indie films directed by women and nonbinary filmmakers to audiences.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 1 Apr. 2026
The survey of nearly 1,000 trans and nonbinary people ages 13 to 24 found that higher levels of gender euphoria are associated with 47% lower odds of depression, 37% lower odds of anxiety, and 37% lower odds of suicidal ideation.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 31 Mar. 2026
In 2020, the Legislature passed the Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act, which enables transgender, nonbinary and intersex people entering the correctional system to self-identify their gender.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonbinary
Cite this Entry
“Nonbinary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonbinary. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
nonbinary
adjective
non·bi·na·ry
-ˈbī-nə-rē
-ˌner-ē
variants
or non-binary
: relating to or being a person who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that is neither entirely male nor entirely female
Nonbinary people—individuals who identify as both male or female, neither male nor female, … and/or reject all gender identities—may experience unique mental health stressors due to cultural invisibility and ignorance surrounding nonbinary identities.—Abbie E. Goldberg et al., The Counseling Psychologist
Abbie E. Goldberg et al., The Counseling Psychologist… some non-binary people who were assigned female at birth had chest surgery and/or took hormones. Others did not engage in these methods, but modified some visible markers of gender in other ways …—Christina Richards et al., International Review of Psychiatry
Christina Richards et al., International Review of PsychiatryLove words? Need even more definitions?
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