NONSTARTER Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

nonstarter

noun

Definition of nonstarter

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 That fee was clearly a nonstarter for most shippers and oil companies. — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 16 July 2026 So long as Hungary believes that the rights of Hungarian minority communities remain unsecured, the acceptance of thousands of new migrants will likewise remain a nonstarter for Magyar and his Tisza party. — Brett R. Chloupek, The Conversation, 15 July 2026 If the thought of wearing jeans right now is a nonstarter, opt for these pull-on baggy denim pants instead. — Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 12 July 2026 Plus the idea of wearing AI glasses and a tech-bro wrist accessory was, truthfully, a nonstarter. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for nonstarter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonstarter

Noun

Other than taxpayers, bodega owners stand to be some of the biggest losers if New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) realizes his dream of city-run grocery stores.

— Editorial Board, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026
Amid the stresses of the Arctic, scientists are rethinking the idea that all life is a cutthroat competition with winners and losers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of loser

Noun

The wedding invitation fiasco comes just days after Kelce opened up about his and Swift’s special day.

— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 25 Aug. 2026
Though the reason for Marte’s initial absence remains unknown publicly — the Diamondbacks were so blindsided by it that he was scratched only minutes before Monday’s game — the team seemed eager to move on from the fiasco.

— Marc Carig, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of fiasco

Noun

Residents of the nearby River Road Apartments near there were encouragedto evacuate last night due to erosion caused by the washout.

— Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 17 Aug. 2026
Similar to today, there will be large gaps of three to four hours between rounds of rain so the day won't be a washout.

— Ron Smiley, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of washout

Noun

Displaced from their homes, hundreds of families resettled on the low-lying banks of the Trishuli river – only to face yet another horrific disaster on Wednesday.

— Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Purchase and install emergency generators, integrate electrical systems, and conduct testing and preparedness activities so participating rural hospitals can maintain critical services during outages and disasters.

— Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of disaster

Noun

Summary Coastal and high-risk hotels face soaring insurance premiums, up 45-100%, as natural catastrophe losses escalate.

— Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
That didn’t stop catastrophes like the 2018 fire in the Sierra foothills that destroyed the town of Paradise and killed 85.

— Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of catastrophe

Noun

But Bama followed with a 38-3 quarterfinal flop to Indiana, erasing any momentum and placing DeBoer squarely under the microscope entering a pivotal third season.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
But at the time, the latter was a major flop that was panned by notable critics such as Pauline Kael.

— Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of flop

Noun

Supporters highlight funding efforts Perkins and his supporters, however, want voters to know the councilmember’s career has encompassed more than just the data center debacle.

— Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
The debacle has cast light on the various ways in which leverage is increasingly underpinning the wider AI boom.

— Hugh Leask, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of debacle

Noun

Cage flattened Borden with a power bomb through a table in the corner.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
In the village of Bilbasovka in eastern Ukraine, a 13-year-old child and an adult died after Russian troops dropped bombs on private houses Sunday, according to local official Vadim Lyakh.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of bomb

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nonstandard

nonstarter

nonstarters

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“Nonstarter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonstarter. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of nonstarter

noun

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