as in lazy
having no ambition, success, or value to society
refused to leave anything in his will to his good-for-nothing grandchildren
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in bum
an idle worthless person
teacher after teacher had predicted that he would never be more than a good-for-nothing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of good-for-nothing
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 May 2024
Yet later this year up to 40 healthy Australian volunteers may begin receiving infusions of the supposedly good-for-nothing molecule.
—Bymitch Leslie, science.org, 8 June 2023
In the film, directed by Taika Waititi, Hela comes back to Asgard seeking revenge and looking to kick everybody's ass, starting with her good-for-nothing brothers Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Thor (Hemsworth).
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 16 Mar. 2023
Adjective
The black comedy crime film is written by Niki Sheldrake and tells the story of Colin and Stanley, two good-for-nothing brothers who are faced with the repayment of their dead father’s debt to a notorious loan shark named Maggie.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 May 2024
Yet later this year up to 40 healthy Australian volunteers may begin receiving infusions of the supposedly good-for-nothing molecule.
—Bymitch Leslie, science.org, 8 June 2023
In the film, directed by Taika Waititi, Hela comes back to Asgard seeking revenge and looking to kick everybody's ass, starting with her good-for-nothing brothers Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Thor (Hemsworth).
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 16 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for good-for-nothing
Adjective
-
Their latest establishment is our top off-mountain pick for daily brunch (a great start to any lazy ski day) and Thursday-to-Saturday evening fare.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Specialty shops, coffee shops, boutiques and restaurants could share 200 acres of trails, pocket parks, wooded landscapes and a lazy creek with a combination of residential options.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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As older leaders retire, the days of bums on seats five days a week are likely to fade with them.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Here, in the rugged, remote Santa Cruz Mountains, one of California’s coastal ranges, the counterculture had found one of its first bucolic, dharma-bum milieus.—
Scott Eden,
Rolling Stone,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Otherwise, the cease-fire would feel worthless to many Ukrainians, merely giving Russia a chance to prepare for another invasion.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Life itself being worthless, all things with it, that feed it, are worthless.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Hollywood turned him into a beggar.—
Lili Anolik,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
-
In the old days beggars were drawn and quartered in that square.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The ordeal at Keystone gave me an up-close view of the no-good, very bad 2025-26 ski season.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Released in 1958, Attack told of a wealthy heiress, fresh from a stint at a mental institution, who is turned into a giantess and then deals with her philandering husband and his no-good, money-grubbing floozy.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The hydropower generators at Greers Ferry Dam had been idle all day, so the Little Red was very low, with just a hint of current.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Utah was idle on Saturday after falling to the Magic in Orlando on Saturday.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The hobo bag has been popular with several brands over the past few seasons.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
7 Feb. 2026
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One mask depicts a frowning hobo with a 5 o'clock shadow that represents the aforementioned vagrant.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Good-for-nothing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/good-for-nothing. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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