noun ·3 syllables ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   Someone or something who was listed to start in a race, but did not start in the race.
2. 2
   Something that is destined to fail from the outset; an impractical scheme.

   "Whatever is decided, it is clear that Crossrail 2 must be regarded as a non-starter for the foreseeable future."

3. 3
   An idea or argument that cannot be sensibly debated. idiomatic

Example

More examples

"Bernie is a complete non-starter."

Etymology

From non- + starter.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.