nonstarter

noun

Definition of nonstarternext
as in loser

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nonstarter But in just a few short weeks, wearing San Antonio Spurs merchandise in the city has gone from a harmless proposal—even a lowkey flex—to an absolute nonstarter. — Joan Kennedy, Vogue, 10 June 2026 New York’s participation in the scholarship program is a nonstarter for the state’s and city’s teachers unions, who contend the program takes students and public dollars away from local public schools. — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026 In a nation where the rule of law still matters, Elliott would allow cities and towns to pay utilities a fraction of the value of their infrastructure (poles, wires, transformers, and easements) because to pay their real value would make his proposal a nonstarter. — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026 Giving control of the region’s oldest youth hockey organization, founded in 1964, to a for-profit company was a nonstarter, said Amanda Rose, a board member. — Kenny Jacoby, USA Today, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for nonstarter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonstarter
  1. loser
  2. fiasco
  3. washout
  4. disaster
  5. catastrophe
  6. flop
  7. debacle
  8. bomb
Noun
  • The losers are the automakers still leaving accessories to the dealer, where the margin quietly bleeds away.
    — Sarwant Singh, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • That is a big risk investors take when trying to find the winners and losers within the biotech sector.
    — Jay Woods, CNBC, 2 July 2026
Definition of loser
Noun
  • Harry's decision comes amid an ongoing security fiasco concerning the safety of Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 5 July 2026
  • Add in a fiasco of a camp, where celebrities had access to the team’s hotel, and subpar performances in defeats against Uruguay, Russia and Saudi Arabia, and the hoodoo appeared stronger than ever.
    — Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of fiasco
Noun
  • Today will not be a washout, but showers could have an impact on afternoon plans.
    — The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 28 June 2026
  • Overnight rainfall coupled with the arrival of storms Saturday means the region could see a washout.
    — Kendrick Calfee June 13, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
Definition of washout
Noun
  • Rodríguez said numerous public officials died in the disaster, including security personnel, municipal employees and military officers.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
  • The Boyle Heights blaze, similar to the Eaton and Palisades fires, has revealed the region’s air monitoring can’t always tell people what they’ve been exposed to in a disaster.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of disaster
Noun
  • In the work of fiction, the ship is taken over to prevent catastrophe.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2026
  • The young girls are referred to as Heaven’s 27 by their surviving families, who are determined to honor their legacy by ensuring such a catastrophe never happens again.
    — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
Definition of catastrophe
Noun
  • John Wilson/Netflix ©2026 Netflix is going to throw away money on blockbuster critical flops anyway.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • Trade the tricorn hats, bonnets and homespun shirts for flip flops, sneakers and soccer jerseys, and the intrepid revolutionaries of 1776 would have looked a lot like the people of 2026.
    — Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Definition of flop
Noun
  • The housing debacle was one of several times recently that Trump suddenly threw a wrench in Republican leaders’ plans.
    — Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • This debacle is the subject of The Drive‘s latest YouTube video, hosted by my friend (and boss) Kyle Cheromcha.
    — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 2 July 2026
Definition of debacle
Noun
  • But with the righty and the Yankees donning stars and stripes themed jerseys, bombs began bursting in the humid Bronx air shortly after Saturday’s game began.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 4 July 2026
  • Each city and many organizations had their own displays of rockets and aerial bombs, the largest one in this area being at Walt Disney World.
    — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2026
Definition of bomb

Browse Nearby Words

nonstandard
nonstarter
nonstarters
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Cite this Entry

“Nonstarter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonstarter. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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