nonstarter

American  

[non-stahr-ter] / nɒnˈstɑr tər /

noun

1. an issue, plan, etc., that does not get or deserve to get under way.

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nonstarter British  

/ nɒnˈstɑːtə /

noun

1. a horse that fails to run in a race for which it has been entered

2. a person or thing that is useless, has little chance of success, etc

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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.

Example Sentences

“That is a nonstarter for the entire industry, whether restrictions be for crude or refined products,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

Instacart’s chief technology officer, Anirban Kundu, recalled in an interview how OpenAI’s original plan was a nonstarter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

They’ve dissected every shot of the trailer and teasers, they’ve planned viewing parties to watch both new releases — the question of overexposure is a nonstarter to them.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2025

The case shows that smuggling its chips "is a nonstarter," an Nvidia spokesperson said.

From BBC • Aug. 6, 2025

It never occurred to me that the bug-out would be a nonstarter.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Related Words

• bust
• debacle
• disaster
• dud
• fiasco
• washout