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 hop from 8K to 4K just isn’t nearly as compelling as the jump from 1080p to 4K. That might change once streaming services announce movies and shows in 8K (or an 8K physical media standard), which could show more of a difference than tech demo footage, but for now, 8K remains a nonstarter.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
But Jordanians’ concerted outrage makes any effort by the Trump administration to force the country to accept Gazan refugees a nonstarter.
—Curtis R. Ryan, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2025
Loading your audio article Union officials say the city is holding a new contract with NYPD sergeants hostage unless the union agrees to work 12-hour tours — a nonstarter the Sergeants Benevolent Association says would endanger both their members and the public.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2025
Democratic leaders have instead been pushing for a 30-day funding extension that would allow more time for negotiations on new spending bills — a nonstarter, given Republican control of the House and Senate.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonstarter
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Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
But Jordanians’ concerted outrage makes any effort by the Trump administration to force the country to accept Gazan refugees a nonstarter.
—Curtis R. Ryan, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2025
Loading your audio article Union officials say the city is holding a new contract with NYPD sergeants hostage unless the union agrees to work 12-hour tours — a nonstarter the Sergeants Benevolent Association says would endanger both their members and the public.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2025
Democratic leaders have instead been pushing for a 30-day funding extension that would allow more time for negotiations on new spending bills — a nonstarter, given Republican control of the House and Senate.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 13 Mar. 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 12 Apr. 2025.
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