nonstarter

noun

non·​start·​er ˌnän-ˈstär-tər How to pronounce nonstarter (audio)
1
: one that does not start
2
: someone or something that is not productive or effective
his son has been, in politics a nonstarterAnthony Lejeune

Examples of nonstarter in a Sentence

She's the leading scorer among the team's nonstarters.
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.
The union also wants the reinstatement of a pension scheme that was abolished in 2008, which is a nonstarter for Boeing. Elodie Mazein, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2024 That’s a political nonstarter for Netanyahu, under whose long tenure in power the Israeli settlement project has flourished and expanded across the West Bank. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 22 July 2024 But that bill is a nonstarter for Senate Democrats, meaning Johnson will have to eventually accept a compromise to keep the government funded. Andrew Solender, Axios, 10 Sep. 2024 Bears President Kevin Warren has been told several times by Gov. JB Pritzker and other politicos that the team’s proposal to have the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority float $900 million in 40-year bonds to help finance the $3.2 billion project is a nonstarter. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nonstarter 

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonstarter was in 1865

Dictionary Entries Near nonstarter

Cite this Entry

“Nonstarter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonstarter. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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