no-good

1 of 2

adjective

ˈnō-ˈgu̇d 

: having no worth, virtue, use, or chance of success

a no-good scoundrel

no-good

2 of 2

noun

ˈnō-ˌgu̇d 

: a no-good person or thing

Synonyms of no-good

Adjective

• good-for-nothing
• lazy
• worthless

Noun

• villain
• brute
• criminal
• monster
• savage
• devil
• wretch
• offender

Examples of no-good in a Sentence

Adjective

tired of supporting their spendthrift, no-good daughter, who has yet to find a job commensurate with her alleged abilities

that no-good chair should be thrown away

Noun

neighbors remembered the killer as having been an utter no-good since childhood

we'll have to pay more than minimum wage for the job if we expect to get people other than no-goods

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The question now is how the Giants can make the most of a bad, no-good situation. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 14 July 2026

And with nary a golfer from the upstart tour within eight strokes of Round 2 leader Wyndham Clark at 7 under par, LIV’s no-good, very bad 2026 continued Friday. — Matt Schubert, New York Times, 20 June 2026

Noun

And with nary a golfer from the upstart tour within eight strokes of Round 2 leader Wyndham Clark at 7 under par, LIV’s no-good, very bad 2026 continued Friday. — Matt Schubert, New York Times, 20 June 2026

With Ethan Hawke's newbie simmering against the go-for-broke finesse of Denzel Washington's very bad, no-good officer, Training Day revels in tension, with washes of blue and green augmenting scenes where Hawke is bullied into getting high. — Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1904, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1871, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for no-good

• allgood
• basswood
• beechwood
• bellwood
• birchwood
• boxwood
• boyhood
• brushwood
• childhood
• cordwood
• dogwood
• driftwood

Kids Definition

no-good

adjective

ˌnō-ˌgu̇d

: having no worth, use, or chance of success

no-good

ˈnō-ˌgu̇d

noun