nonsmoker

noun

non·​smok·​er ˌnän-ˈsmō-kər How to pronounce nonsmoker (audio)
plural nonsmokers
: a person who does not smoke tobacco : a person who is not a smoker
Radon poisoning is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.Jonathan Scholles

Examples of nonsmoker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The county emphasized that dangerous radon levels have been found in homes in all 50 states, and smokers and nonsmokers alike are at risk for lung cancer from the radioactive gas. Adam Harrington, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026 This will almost certainly raise costs for nonsmokers—as outgoing governor Glenn Youngkin noted in vetoing the bill last year. Judge Glock, Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2026 People, even nonsmokers, understood that a smoker needed to take a cigarette break once in a while. Camille Bordas, New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2025 Women, Asian Americans and nonsmokers diagnosed with lung cancer were likelier to be ineligible for screening, the study found. Maggie Vespa, NBC news, 20 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nonsmoker

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonsmoker was in 1846

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Cite this Entry

“Nonsmoker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonsmoker. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

Medical Definition

nonsmoker

noun
non·​smok·​er -ˈsmō-kər How to pronounce nonsmoker (audio)
: a person who does not smoke tobacco

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