nonstarter
Americannoun
noun
-
a horse that fails to run in a race for which it has been entered
-
a person or thing that is useless, has little chance of success, etc
Etymology
Origin of nonstarter
First recorded in 1905–10
Explanation
Someone who's a nonstarter never seems to succeed or achieve their goals. A baseball player who strikes out every single time he's up at bat is a nonstarter. A political candidate who loses every election is a nonstarter, and an entrepreneur whose businesses keep failing is also a nonstarter. You can also use this word to describe a plan or idea that's just never going to work: "I can see why you'd want to bring your pony to school, but I think it's a nonstarter." The original meaning of nonstarter was a horse unable to run in a race at the last minute.
Vocabulary lists containing nonstarter
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: non-
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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.
Property prices are sensitive to what is happening in the economy and with interest rates, so losing the ability to decide when to sell is a nonstarter.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026
“That is a nonstarter for the entire industry, whether restrictions be for crude or refined products,” he said.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026
The case shows that smuggling its chips "is a nonstarter," an Nvidia spokesperson said.
From BBC • Aug. 6, 2025
The idea of AC Milan giving Pulisic time off is a nonstarter, however.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 29, 2025
Agriculture was another nonstarter in Australia, which is not only the driest continent but also the one with the most infertile soils.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
