Nonwinning

Nonwinning is a descriptive term used to refer to outcomes or participants that do not achieve a victory or win in a given competition, contest, or assessment. It denotes the absence of a win rather than an explicit loss or withdrawal and is typically used as a neutral descriptor rather than a value judgment. The term is formed by the prefix non- meaning "not" and the adjective winning.

In sports and games, the nonwinning team or competitor is one that fails to secure first place or a win in a match or event. In contests with prizes, a nonwinning entry is one that does not receive an award. In procurement and bidding processes, nonwinning bids are those that do not win the contract. In testing or marketing experiments, a nonwinning option may refer to a version or offer that does not outperform others according to a predefined criterion such as conversion rate or revenue.

The use of nonwinning emphasizes outcome relative to a standard rather than inherent quality. It can be used descriptively in data analysis and reporting to separate winning and nonwinning results, but it is less common as a formal category in official rules. Related terms include winning, loss, victory, prize-winning, and runner-up. See also: competition outcomes, outcome terminology, and performance metrics.