Meaning & use
non-allergenic
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Not likely to trigger an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to certain substances.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after be: a non-allergenic soap, the soap is non-allergenic.
Patterns
- a non-allergenic product
- non-allergenic for someone
The nurse recommended a non-allergenic tape for his sensitive skin.
The shop sells non-allergenic pillows filled with synthetic fibers.
Is this cat food non-allergenic, or does it contain wheat?
Common combinations
- non-allergenic formula
- The baby milk comes in a non-allergenic formula.
- non-allergenic bedding
- Non-allergenic bedding helps people who are allergic to dust mites.
- non-allergenic cosmetics
- She only buys non-allergenic cosmetics because of her rashes.
- claimed to be non-allergenic
- The cream was claimed to be non-allergenic, yet it still irritated my skin.
Synonyms and how they differ
- hypoallergenic
- Hypoallergenic means less likely to cause a reaction, which is a more honest claim than non-allergenic, which sounds absolute.
- allergy-free
- Allergy-free is an informal marketing phrase that promises more than non-allergenic and is less precise.
- gentle
- Gentle only says a product is mild, not that it avoids known allergens.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: non-allergenic or non-toxic?
non-allergenic vs non-toxic
Non-toxic means not poisonous. A non-toxic item can still cause an allergy in some people.
Practice
What does a non-allergenic shampoo aim to do?
Choose one answer.
Non-allergenic means unlikely to trigger an allergic response, so the shampoo is designed to avoid reactions. The other options describe unrelated effects.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “non-allergenic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.