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
Bringing youth together in the name of peace-building alone would be a nonstarter.
—Lindsey McGinnis, Christian Science Monitor, 1 May 2025
Leaders in the region have said efforts to displace Palestinians or move them into neighboring countries are a nonstarter.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 11 Feb. 2025
If mouse features prove to have minimal presence on Switch 2 games, then a pricey peripheral built around them is a nonstarter.
—Matt Kamen, Wired News, 20 Apr. 2025
As a practical and political matter, the idea is a nonstarter.
—Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonstarter
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Lindsey McGinnis, Christian Science Monitor, 1 May 2025
Leaders in the region have said efforts to displace Palestinians or move them into neighboring countries are a nonstarter.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 11 Feb. 2025
If mouse features prove to have minimal presence on Switch 2 games, then a pricey peripheral built around them is a nonstarter.
—Matt Kamen, Wired News, 20 Apr. 2025
As a practical and political matter, the idea is a nonstarter.
—Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 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 10 May. 2025.
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