nonworking

adjective

non·​work·​ing ˌnän-ˈwər-kiŋ 

variants or less commonly non-working

: not working:

a

: not employed : not having a paying job

Of nonworking mothers who have preschool children, more than a quarter say they would seek paying jobs if reasonably priced child care were available.

—Joshua Mendes

b

: not of, relating to, or involving work

nonworking hours/days

a nonworking trip

c

: not functioning

a nonworking lamp

To get there, I have to negotiate intersections with nonworking traffic signals.

—Laurie Hertzel

Examples of nonworking in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Inspectors found food in a nonworking cooler and toppings held at 49 degrees for over six hours, both of which were discarded. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026

Some of its vehicles stopped at intersections that had nonworking traffic lights, NBC Bay Area reported. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 6 July 2026

Inside, accessed via key in a lockbox, my friends and I were met with a cozy living space with low-profile seating, a nonworking fireplace, and a TV. — Damian Fallon, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 May 2026

The man in question, Dale Gossett, was captured on police body camera in a red pickup truck during a routine traffic stop in Tinley Park last November for having a nonworking taillight. — Dave Savini, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1676, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nonworking

• hardworking
• networking
• reworking
• woodworking
• clerking
• jerking
• lurking
• shirking
• smirking
• working
• interworking
• metalworking