nonstarter
noun
non·start·er
ˌnän-ˈstär-tər 
1
: one that does not start
2
: someone or something that is not productive or effective
his son has been, in politics a nonstarter—
Anthony Lejeune
Anthony LejeuneExamples of nonstarter in a Sentence
She's the leading scorer among the team's nonstarters.
Recent Examples on the Web
But Republicans are making clear that’s a nonstarter.
—Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2025
Conservatives on Capitol Hill, especially those in the House, are already there, threatening to oppose any spending bill that doesn’t feature drastic cuts and setting up a clash with Democrats who say those same cuts are nonstarters.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 5 Feb. 2025
The proposal will also likely be a nonstarter for the Trump administration because of its cost, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates would be $35 billion from 2026 to 2034.
—Bertha Coombs, CNBC, 28 Jan. 2025
The measure would boost defense spending while trimming domestic social programs below 2024 levels, an approach that is a nonstarter for Democratic leaders who insist that Pentagon and nondefense spending move in the same direction.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonstarter
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Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2025
Conservatives on Capitol Hill, especially those in the House, are already there, threatening to oppose any spending bill that doesn’t feature drastic cuts and setting up a clash with Democrats who say those same cuts are nonstarters.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 5 Feb. 2025
The proposal will also likely be a nonstarter for the Trump administration because of its cost, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates would be $35 billion from 2026 to 2034.
—Bertha Coombs, CNBC, 28 Jan. 2025
The measure would boost defense spending while trimming domestic social programs below 2024 levels, an approach that is a nonstarter for Democratic leaders who insist that Pentagon and nondefense spending move in the same direction.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonstarter
Cite this Entry
“Nonstarter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonstarter. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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