: marked by inactivity or failure to make positive progress
Examples of do-nothing in a Sentence
Noun
the new boss quickly figured out who the do-nothings were and fired them
he indiscriminately dismisses the state legislators as a bunch of do-nothings who live at the taxpayers' expense
Recent Examples on the Web
Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025
About a dozen have visited or have plans to make stops in the early primary states, such as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, 60, who in April caught attention for delivering a searing speech in New Hampshire aimed at 'do-nothing' Democrats.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2025
That would have a power move for the do-nothing Heat. – Michael.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 30 June 2025
In the political messaging battle, though, whether the assessment of a do-nothing Congress and Speaker is true or not is beside the point.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 20 May 2025
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Noun
Former ComEd consultant Jay Doherty was sentenced today to one year in prison for his role in an elaborate scheme to funnel money to do-nothing subcontractors with ties to then-House Speaker Michael Madigan in exchange for Madigan’s influence on legislation in Springfield.
—Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025
About a dozen have visited or have plans to make stops in the early primary states, such as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, 60, who in April caught attention for delivering a searing speech in New Hampshire aimed at 'do-nothing' Democrats.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2025
That would have a power move for the do-nothing Heat. – Michael.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 30 June 2025
In the political messaging battle, though, whether the assessment of a do-nothing Congress and Speaker is true or not is beside the point.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Do-nothing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/do-nothing. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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