plural deadbeats
disapproving
1
: a lazy person : a person who does not work
His friends are just a bunch of deadbeats.
2
chiefly US
: a person who does not pay money that is owed
He was accused of being a deadbeat.
—often used before another nouna deadbeat dad [=a father who owes money to his former wife to help raise their children but does not pay it]
Cite this Entry
“Deadbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/deadbeat. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.
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