1
as in slug
a lazy person
the new boss quickly figured out who the do-nothings were and fired them
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bum
an idle worthless person
he indiscriminately dismisses the state legislators as a bunch of do-nothings who live at the taxpayers' expense
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of do-nothing
Dooley played up his status as a first-time candidate and, despite Republicans controlling the House, Senate and White House, hit Collins as being part of a do-nothing government.
—
ABC News, 31 May 2026
Today, the Trump administration and a do-nothing Republican Congress are damaging our government, our economy, and our standing in the world.
—Rachel Royster
may 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Is Jack a do-nothing philanderer while Shyanne desperately tries to preserve their five-year romance, or is the truth more complicated than that?
—Todd Gilchrist, IndieWire, 7 May 2026
The commission made the right call to delay implementation of Gavin’s do-nothing laws.
—Linh Tat, Oc Register, 6 May 2026
Finally, upgrade your couch-rot-and-do-nothing sessions with the TCL 75-inch Class Q6 smart TV, and save 22%.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 5 May 2026
That makes a strong case for the do-nothing vacation, then, which, in the words of The Washington Post, aligns with wellness rather than laziness.
—Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Instead, Trump should start castigating the do-nothing political elites who betrayed courageous Venezuelan defenders of democracy like López and Machado.
—John Davenport, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
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
ABC News, 31 May 2026
Today, the Trump administration and a do-nothing Republican Congress are damaging our government, our economy, and our standing in the world.
—Rachel Royster
may 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Is Jack a do-nothing philanderer while Shyanne desperately tries to preserve their five-year romance, or is the truth more complicated than that?
—Todd Gilchrist, IndieWire, 7 May 2026
The commission made the right call to delay implementation of Gavin’s do-nothing laws.
—Linh Tat, Oc Register, 6 May 2026
Finally, upgrade your couch-rot-and-do-nothing sessions with the TCL 75-inch Class Q6 smart TV, and save 22%.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 5 May 2026
That makes a strong case for the do-nothing vacation, then, which, in the words of The Washington Post, aligns with wellness rather than laziness.
—Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Instead, Trump should start castigating the do-nothing political elites who betrayed courageous Venezuelan defenders of democracy like López and Machado.
—John Davenport, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for do-nothing
Noun
-
Attracting certain unwanted pests like snails, slugs, or raccoons.—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
7 June 2026
-
Firefly larvae feed on slugs and snails.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
For those caught unaware, the flies will also happily lay eggs in convenient openings such as the nose, mouth, ears, eyes, and even the bum, if available.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
9 June 2026
-
The Kings will inevitably be criticized for making a series of bad decisions and bum deals while Fox, Barnes and Brown grace the game’s grandest stage a year after being cast off under questionable circumstances.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The agency also didn’t disclose what technology was used to track down the drone pilots.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
-
Earlier this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that his forces had captured a Russian position using only drones and robots for the first time, and had conducted more than 22,000 unmanned ground missions using robots in just the first three months of 2026.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Gobert was chief among the beggars imploring his teammates for a shred of consistency on that end of the floor.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Antinous later shocked the other suitors by insulting and assaulting with a footstool an elderly beggar who had spoken to him in the palace hall.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Hodgson’s field research has revealed that snails have a homing instinct of up to 30 meters (about 100 feet).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Attracting certain unwanted pests like snails, slugs, or raccoons.—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Per usual with movies like this, spelling out the terror (the roots are in hobo codes and religious legend) becomes, regrettably, a shock absorber, not a facilitator.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
-
Schneider plays David, a reticent young man with the soulful-hobo air of a Beat poet, who makes a living as an events photographer but whose private passion is a secretive lifelong project, inherited from his father, documenting the changing Parisian suburbs.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
To track down her mother, Lila teams up with her deadbeat father for a journey that includes grudge-settling, Russian criminals, and corrupt politicians.—
Diya Chacko,
Oc Register,
18 May 2026
-
Based on a script by Justin Varava that made the 2024 Black List, Turpentine follows a deadbeat son who hires friends to rob his own parents to pay off a bookie, with disastrous results.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Do-nothing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/do-nothing. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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