nonswimmer

noun

non·​swim·​mer ˌnän-ˈswi-mər How to pronounce nonswimmer (audio)
plural nonswimmers
: one who is not a swimmer : someone who lacks the ability or skill to swim
When I was a camper, only nonswimmers wore life preservers on the lake.David Brooks

Examples of nonswimmer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The nonswimmer holds on to the names of these villains forever — along with the secret belief that the real culprit was his or her own fear. Mary Pols, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2020 Always supervise children around water, and keep new swimmers and nonswimmers within arm's reach. Tom Steele, Dallas News, 1 Aug. 2019 The pediatrics group recommends that children always wear life jackets when boating or near bodies of water, including nonswimmers and children who know how to swim. Amy Chillag, CNN, 3 July 2019 The weeklong retreats are for everyone, even nonswimmers, but tend to draw women in their 30s, 40s and 50s, says founder Tierza Eichner. Margot Dougherty, WSJ, 1 May 2019 Weak and nonswimmers should wear personal flotation devices when in or near the water. Lisa Cianci, OrlandoSentinel.com, 23 May 2018 A nonswimmer herself, Ms. Joseph-Coutain needed help. Clara Germani, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Aug. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nonswimmer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonswimmer was in 1864

Dictionary Entries Near nonswimmer

Cite this Entry

“Nonswimmer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonswimmer. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

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