NE'ER-DO-WELL Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

ne'er-do-well 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of ne'er-do-well

as in lazy

having no ambition, success, or value to society the ne'er-do-well denizens of a seedy bar near the docks

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ne'er-do-well

2 of 2

noun

ˈner-du̇-ˌwel

as in bum

an idle worthless person the local ne'er-do-wells seem to hang out on the street corners at all hours of the day and night

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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 ne'er-do-well

Noun

After seeing the flare, the ne'er-do-wells steal Hunter's car instead of calling for help. — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026 Rickman's agent was flooded with offers, beseeching the actor to play more debonair ne'er-do-wells. — Clark Collis, EW.com, 25 May 2023 Who amongst us hasn't wanted to enjoy the spoils of a ne'er-do-well's criminal enterprises? — Chris Haslam, Wired News, 23 May 2025 Though Stinky Pete turns out to be a ne'er-do-well, Jessie is a valuable new pal who reveals her own trauma from being donated by her kid. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 19 June 2026 In April, the company had to temporarily shut down service in Chicago when ne'er-do-wells managed to fraudulently rent and then steal 100 Mercedes-Benz vehicles off the street. — Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ne'er-do-well

Adjective

Slicking back your hair with a perfect part brings this lazy day look to the next level.

— Odeya Pinkus, InStyle, 8 July 2026
Some claimed that Buddhists, like Asians generally, were passive and lazy, and that their religious rites reflected a dull, monotonous approach to life.

— Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 7 July 2026

Definition of lazy

Noun

Sometimes there is a fine line between being a hero or a bum, but Dave has been able to negotiate that line, because players trust him, and the players know that Dave cares about them and their families.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Designed with a plunging neckline, modest bum coverage, and compressive fabric with UPF 50 sun protection, the elegant silhouette offers rich-girl vacation energy that could easily double as a bodysuit with shorts.

— Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 20 June 2026

Definition of bum

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

Definition of good-for-nothing

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

Definition of hobo

Adjective

Still, Twain squandered his own fortune and Livy’s inheritance on developing Paige’s invention, even as the Mergenthaler Linotype became the industry standard, rendering Paige’s machine worthless.

— Ron Chernow, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
Bitcoin is either digital gold or worthless.

— Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026

Definition of worthless

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
So disguised as a beggar, Odysseus shows up at his palace, and he is not treated very nicely by the suitors who have camped out in his house.

— Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026

Definition of beggar

Adjective

And with nary a golfer from the upstart tour within eight strokes of Round 2 leader Wyndham Clark at 7 under par, LIV’s no-good, very bad 2026 continued Friday.

— Matt Schubert, New York Times, 20 June 2026
With Ethan Hawke's newbie simmering against the go-for-broke finesse of Denzel Washington's very bad, no-good officer, Training Day revels in tension, with washes of blue and green augmenting scenes where Hawke is bullied into getting high.

— Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026

Definition of no-good

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“Ne'er-do-well.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ne%27er-do-well. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of ne'er-do-well

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

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