nonstop

American  

[non-stop, non-stop] / ˈnɒnˈstɒp, ˈnɒnˌstɒp /

adjective

1. being without a single stop en route.

   a nonstop bus; a nonstop flight from New York to Paris.

2. happening, done, or held without a stop or pause or without offering relief or respite.

   The ambassador faced a nonstop schedule of meetings and interviews during her visit.

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adverb

1. without a single stop en route.

2. Informal. without a pause or interruption or without respite; continually.

   My back ached nonstop for three days.

noun

1. a long-distance airline flight that makes no stops between the starting point and the destination.

nonstop British  

/ ˈnɒnˈstɒp /

adjective

1. done without pause or interruption

   a nonstop flight

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Etymology

Origin of nonstop

First recorded in 1900–05; non- + stop

Explanation

Things that are nonstop keep going all the time without pausing. A week of nonstop rain can cause flooding, and be pretty gloomy too. You can use the word nonstop as an adjective or adverb, and while it can literally mean "without stopping," it's also frequently used in an exaggerated way, to mean "a lot of the time." Your friend's description of a nonstop dance party or a nervous substitute teacher who giggles nonstop are examples of this. A nonstop plane flight, on the other hand, literally flies from one city to another without landing at another airport on the way.

Example Sentences

Depending on who he was talking to, Diamond has said that his masterpiece took four months of nonstop work to write or that it tumbled out over the course of a lunch break.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Henman & Cooper had advertised an event starting at 16:00 BST on Sunday, featuring "the best DJs in the city bringing nonstop House, Garage & Disco energy all day into the night".

From BBC • May 3, 2026

As you start to establish a routine, the nonstop exploring and socializing are gradually replaced with a schedule for grocery shopping, eating out at favorite restaurants and running errands.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 24, 2026

I would argue that is certainly true for you personally, because you’ve been talking nonstop about tariffs ever since.

From Slate • Apr. 22, 2026

She’d rub Daddy’s back as she sat at the table, talking nonstop when our mouths were full and keeping an eye out to make sure we had enough.

From "Finding Langston" by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Related Words

• ceaseless
• constant
• endless
• incessant
• interminable
• relentless
• round-the-clock
• steady
• unbroken
• unending
• uninterrupted