deadbeat

1 of 2

noun

dead·​beat ˈded-ˌbēt How to pronounce deadbeat (audio)
1
: loafer
2
: one who persistently fails to pay personal debts or expenses

deadbeat

2 of 2

adjective

: having a pointer that gives a reading with little or no oscillation

Examples of deadbeat in a Sentence

Noun His friends are just a bunch of deadbeats. He was accused of being a deadbeat.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
As the eldest sibling with an estranged mother and a selfish deadbeat father, Emmy Rossum's character is tasked with raising the family while also raising hell and battling her own personal demons. Huntley Woods, EW.com, 13 Nov. 2023 Why couldn’t this deadbeat Muppet dad with a soul patch on top of his existing fur leap into action? Vulture, 1 Feb. 2024 Investors are looking to the resolution of the Evergrande case to see how China will handle disputes over its deadbeat companies, of which there are dozens in the property sector alone. Alexandra Stevenson, New York Times, 29 Jan. 2024 You would now be regarded on the same level as deadbeat drunkards and child molesters. James Erwin, National Review, 26 Jan. 2024 Despite being a genius, he was kicked out of college after doing a favor for his deadbeat friend. Time, 11 Aug. 2023 That hasn’t yet happened to the world’s most notorious deadbeat. Mary Anastasia O’Grady, WSJ, 6 Aug. 2023 The one-of-a-kind table clock offers the display of three time zones on three trapezoidal dials and a deadbeat seconds mechanism marking home time. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 20 July 2023 Proponents said the law will rein in sky-high drug prices and corporate tax deadbeats. Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, 11 June 2023
Adjective
Others may even cheer the hard line against supposedly deadbeat allies who in this view have taken advantage of American friendship for too long. Peter Baker, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2024 Calamy recently received a César nomination for this splendid portrayal of Julie Roy, a stressed, divorced white woman raising two toddlers despite a distant, deadbeat ex-husband who’s behind on his child-support payments. Armond White, National Review, 8 Feb. 2023 One week, the spotlight is on Woon-A-Tai as Bear, whose search for a positive male role model leads him to comic interactions with an amiably uninspiring spirit guide or to sadly pin his hopes on his hilariously deadbeat father. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 June 2022 And coming off a deadbeat response to the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, Manfred should not be looking for any more rakes to step on. Anthony Witrado, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2021 Funding for everything, then there’ll be no more deadbeat dads. Alixel Cabrera, The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 Oct. 2021 Adding to the complexity was his eagerness to avoid the archetype of a deadbeat Black father. Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2021 The pace and tone varies over the show’s short run, but the seemingly deadbeat characters are always charming and three-dimensional. Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2020 Now, however, after a trip with Duke to their deadbeat dad’s, Frankie’s back, hugging Sam like a little kid. Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deadbeat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

circa 1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deadbeat was in 1863

Dictionary Entries Near deadbeat

Cite this Entry

“Deadbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deadbeat. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

deadbeat

noun
dead·​beat
ˈded-ˌbēt
: one who fails to pay his or her debts

More from Merriam-Webster on deadbeat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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