The word nonstop as one word is the correct spelling version in the US. E.g., “We have a nonstop flight to New York.” Furthermore, the hyphenated version is more common in the UK and is also correct. E.g., “We took a non-stop sleeper train to Seattle.” Non stop is incorrect.
The choice of whether to use nonstop or non-stop is ultimately a difference between British and American English. Consequently, the Cambridge Dictionary lists both non-stop and nonstop as correct.
This graph for the UK shows that the one-word version is almost as frequent as the hyphenated version. Furthermore, the chart for the US shows that nonstop is far more common than non-stop.
Both versions are correct, and no grammar rule states one is better than the other. However, you should be consistent with your choice and use the same version throughout the text.
In addition, if you are writing a text in AP Style, you should use the one-word version nonstop rather than non-stop.
Furthermore, non stop is incorrect because you need to join the prefix non to the word stop for it to make sense.
We have covered the basics of the term non-stop. However, you should read the rest of the page to learn more about each version and how to use them.
Nonstop
The term nonstop as one word is the preferred spelling in the US and is also frequent in other parts of the world, such as the UK.
It refers to something that happens without a stop or pause, such as a flight, journey, or length of time.
- I worked nonstop from 7 am to 9 pm.
Furthermore, you should use the version nonstop when writing in AP Style.
Non-stop
The word non-stop is the most common spelling version in the UK, although nonstop as one word is not far behind.
There is no difference in meaning between non-stop and nonstop. As long as you are consistent throughout your text, you can choose which version to use.
- We booked non-stop flights to Tokyo.
Often with compound words like non-stop, it is customary in AP Style to use the hyphen when the noun appears directly afterward.
However, in the case of non-stop, the hyphen rule does not apply, and you should use the single-word alternative nonstop when writing a text in AP Style.
Non Stop
Non stop as two words is incorrect.
The following examples show the two correct ways you can write non stop.
- Correct: We took a nonstop bus to Austin, Texas.
- Correct: We took a non-stop bus to Austin, Texas.
- Incorrect: We took a non stop bus to Austin, Texas.
The single-word version is more prevalent in American English. In comparison, the hyphenated version is more common in the UK. However, both are correct, and there is no change in meaning.