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 do-nothing Trump and his do-nothing Republicans face 'one big, beautiful' bust of a budget Rock Creek is full of feces? Chris Brennan, USA Today, 16 May 2025 Jurors also convicted him on two counts of bribery and one Travel Act violation related to payments funneled to Madigan associates for do-nothing ComEd subcontracts. Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2025 Continue reading … OPINION DAVID MARCUS – Why Schumer's do-nothing approach makes perfect sense for Democrats. Fox News, 19 Mar. 2025 Many of these new candidates will be ordinary citizens who are fed up with the feckless and do-nothing politics of the Democratic establishment. Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025 Christy Merrick, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Siri needs a facelift Apple has apparently been riding the do-nothing train for 14 years. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2025 Acevedo, 61, a Chicago Democrat, is central to allegations that AT&T Illinois and Commonwealth Edison funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars in do-nothing consulting contracts to Acevedo and other Madigan loyalists in return for the speaker’s help with legislation in Springfield. Megan Crepeau, Chicago Tribune, 17 Dec. 2024 Care was taken to include documentation from the likes of CNN and Fox News, lest attacks on the do-nothing Congress came across as a one-sided attack. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2024 The outside view largely is of a do-nothing summer by the Miami Heat, with 11 players returning from the roster that recorded just one playoff win last season. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for do-nothing
Noun
  • In some cases, coffee grounds might even deter slugs from visiting your plants when used as a soil top layer.
    Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2025
  • Singles have replaced slug as the standard operating procedure for a lineup that’s struck just 19 home runs.
    Chandler Rome, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This was all done with a bum wrist, which posed as an inconvenience to him at times.
    Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2024
  • Tommy, left to prosecute the case against Rusty, has inherited a bum gig.
    Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 26 July 2024
Noun
  • The same day, Russian drones targeted the Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv, Sumy and Odesa.
    Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 10 May 2025
  • Some stretches of the border are actively monitored, including with helicopters and drones.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • This marine snail is a critical protein source not just in the marine food web, but for humans too, many of whom support their families by fishing.
    Megan Ross, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025
  • Tyrian purple, as the dye is known, is harvested from sea snails in the murex family.
    Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This one has Skarsgård as Eddie, a deadbeat but well-meaning dad to Sarah (Ashley Cartwright) and petty thief whose attempt to steal a luxury SUV turns into disaster because its unseen psycho vigilante owner named William (Anthony Hopkins) has rigged it so bad things happen.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2025
  • What if Rick’s dad was just a deadbeat who didn’t feel like leaving the boat party?
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The beggars, widows, and families with sick relatives who once made a pilgrimage to the gates of the parliament building in the Green Zone to beg lawmakers for help are now barred from entry.
    Ned Parker, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2012
  • All the beggars at the intersection of Lee Road and the off-ramp of I-4 are completely out of hand.
    Ticked Off, Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2024
Noun
  • Extra hooks allow the bag to transform into a trapezoidal hobo shape.
    Joelle Diderich, WWD, 19 Sep. 2024
  • There’s a lot to love about Coach’s viral shoulder bag: the modern hobo style, the soft leather, the distinct shape.
    Lindy Segal, Glamour, 13 Sep. 2024

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Do-nothing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/do-nothing. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!