deadbeat

noun

ˈded-ˌbēt How to pronounce deadbeat (audio)
Definition of deadbeatnext
as in slug
a lazy person he snapped instructions to the deadbeats who were standing around watching the work pile up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deadbeat As half owner of that house, you are entitled to live in it without being berated by a deadbeat. — Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 11 Nov. 2025 As half-owner of that house, you are entitled to live in it without being berated by a deadbeat. — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 11 Nov. 2025 The world’s biggest deadbeat has passed the begging bowl again. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025 Keery, with a dirty-blond dye job and a sweet deadbeat demeanor, might draw some Stranger Things fans, especially since the mix of ‘80s nostalgia with creeping dread, gory set-pieces, droll character banter and humor hatched out of fear land somewhere near that show’s tonal wavelength. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for deadbeat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadbeat
  1. slug
  2. drone
  3. snail
  4. bum
  5. layabout
Noun
  • If your garden has been beset by destructive crawling insects like ants, beetles, and slugs, pesticides often seem like the clear solution.
    — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Baking soda can help prevent powdery mildew, kill weeds, repel slugs, and clean produce, but must be used sparingly.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 July 2026
Definition of slug
Noun
  • Even if all the building challenges can be overcome, many analysts question whether money spent on battleships would be well-spent at a time when low-cost drones are increasingly effective in naval warfare.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Ukraine's air force said in a post to Telegram that Russia launched 115 drones and 28 missiles -- 24 ballistic missiles and four anti-ship missiles -- into the country overnight, of which 98 drones were intercepted.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of drone
Noun
  • Florida has dozens of native animals on the federal and state endangered species lists, including the Florida panther, West Indian manatee, Smalltooth sawfish, Hawksbill sea turtle and the Everglades snail kite.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In 2020, scientists found that combining snail slime from a common garden snail with gold nanoparticles helped accelerate wound healing and exhibited anti-inflammatory properties in mice.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of snail
Noun
  • In terms of consistency, there really is no bum track on this album.
    — David Harris, SPIN, 21 July 2026
  • The Coliseum stayed in business for 500 years, bums in seats twice a week, watching people hack each other to death.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Definition of bum
Noun
  • Marlon's Shorty Meeks is in his 25th year of high school, but has made millions as a layabout live-streamer.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 June 2026
  • When layabout postman Jesper gets assigned to the frozen town of Smeerensburg with an ultimatum to process 6,000 letters, a reclusive toymaker might be his only hope.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 15 May 2026
Definition of layabout

Browse Nearby Words

dead
deadbeat
deadbeats
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Cite this Entry

“Deadbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadbeat. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of deadbeat for Spanish Speakers

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