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
Obviously a lot of these ideas are nonstarters in the current political environment.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 2 June 2026
This is could be a nonstarter for many gamers.
—Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026
There’s always the option to sit out altogether, but that’s a nonstarter for the former congressman.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2026
For institutional balance sheets, an unlicensed or nonauditable data feed can be a nonstarter, hindering adoption.
—Mike Cahill, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonstarter
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Clio Chang, Curbed, 2 June 2026
This is could be a nonstarter for many gamers.
—Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026
There’s always the option to sit out altogether, but that’s a nonstarter for the former congressman.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2026
For institutional balance sheets, an unlicensed or nonauditable data feed can be a nonstarter, hindering adoption.
—Mike Cahill, Forbes.com, 18 May 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 5 Jun. 2026.
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