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 your chargeback would have been a nonstarter because of the length of time elapsed.
—Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
Thune has maintained that the subsidies are a nonstarter in a CR that lasts into November.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 16 Sep. 2025
Brinks and Hall have continuously labeled the other as unwilling to meet and say the opposite chamber’s budget contains numerous nonstarters.
—Isabella Volmert, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
That was a nonstarter for China for months.
—Alayna Treene, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonstarter
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Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
Thune has maintained that the subsidies are a nonstarter in a CR that lasts into November.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 16 Sep. 2025
Brinks and Hall have continuously labeled the other as unwilling to meet and say the opposite chamber’s budget contains numerous nonstarters.
—Isabella Volmert, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
That was a nonstarter for China for months.
—Alayna Treene, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 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 29 Sep. 2025.
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