nonevent

noun

non·​event ˈnän-i-ˌvent How to pronounce nonevent (audio)
ˌnän-i-ˈvent
1
a
: an expected event that fails to take place or to satisfy expectations
b
: an often highly publicized event of little intrinsic interest or significance
2
: an occurrence that is officially ignored

Examples of nonevent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
In biopic form, LeRoy’s fame loses some of its sociological complexity, which might explain why this movie was a nonevent. Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 8 May 2024 The Kremlin has treated Navalny’s death as a nonevent, although tens of thousands in Moscow and other cities, overcoming fear of repression, expressed their grief in public and chanted Navalny’s name. Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 13 Mar. 2024 And on Friday, as thousands gathered in the Russian capital for Mr. Navalny’s funeral, cheering his name, official Moscow acted as if the remembrance was a nonevent. Oleg Matsnev, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Every day, police officers respond to reports of all sorts of events and nonevents, most of which never make the news. Emily Sweeney, BostonGlobe.com, 21 July 2023 See all Example Sentences for nonevent 

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonevent was in 1936

Dictionary Entries Near nonevent

Cite this Entry

“Nonevent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonevent. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on nonevent

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!