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
Warner allowed the franchise to be licensed to other studios, but Ratner’s involvement was reportedly a nonstarter for several potential takers, including Paramount.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent ventures into more classic Oscar genres like the inspirational courtroom drama Just Mercy and the military drama A Journal for Jordan were nonstarters in awards season.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
That’s going to be a nonstarter for many people.
—Steve Kovach, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2025
That is just a flat nonstarter.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonstarter
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Max Tani, semafor.com, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent ventures into more classic Oscar genres like the inspirational courtroom drama Just Mercy and the military drama A Journal for Jordan were nonstarters in awards season.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
That’s going to be a nonstarter for many people.
—Steve Kovach, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2025
That is just a flat nonstarter.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 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 30 Nov. 2025.
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