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Synonyms

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.

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
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing nonstop

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: non-

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Continuous

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

A cynical determination to beat them at their own game of nonstop cynicism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 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

Since winning a supporting actor Emmy in 2020 for HBO’s “Watchmen,” Abdul-Mateen has been on a nonstop roll with multiple projects.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

I wasn’t interested in any of the dolls or blocks or tea sets I’d been given, only that piano—plinking and plunking on it nonstop.

From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.