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

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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

See Examples For:

nonstop

“The whole last year, we’ve been nonstop booked,” said Shel Rasch, co-founder of Oregon-based stop-motion studio Stunt Puppet Pictures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

For Wilson’s phalaropes, Mono Lake is often their last chance to fatten up before flying nonstop to South America.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

The Duo’s battery is ample: By my 11:30 p.m. bedtime, the phone still had between 10% to 20% left in the tank, even after a day of nonstop testing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

I thank everyone working practically nonstop to restore power.

From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026

I was nearly unconscious, and all I could hear was the nonstop jabber of Samir entertaining the men around him.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

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Related Words

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

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