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
The other piece, the mayor insists, must be these higher taxes, something that Hochul has maintained since before Mamdani’s election was a nonstarter.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2026
Presumably that meant plastic pistols were nonstarters.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Given the current budget shortfall, the price tag for keeping data centers from spiking utility rates should be a nonstarter.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2026
For Paramount, a price increase — especially as Netflix hews closer to an all-cash bid — is a nonstarter without dialogue with WBD.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonstarter
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New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2026
Presumably that meant plastic pistols were nonstarters.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Given the current budget shortfall, the price tag for keeping data centers from spiking utility rates should be a nonstarter.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2026
For Paramount, a price increase — especially as Netflix hews closer to an all-cash bid — is a nonstarter without dialogue with WBD.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonstarter
Cite this Entry
“Nonstarter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonstarter. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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