1
as in good-for-nothing
having no ambition, success, or value to society
tired of supporting their spendthrift, no-good daughter, who has yet to find a job commensurate with her alleged abilities
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in worthless
having no usefulness
that no-good chair should be thrown away
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
neighbors remembered the killer as having been an utter no-good since childhood
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bum
an idle worthless person
we'll have to pay more than minimum wage for the job if we expect to get people other than no-goods
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of no-good
Brian Boone, Vulture, 18 June 2025
Watch my video discussion of these shows below: What were your least-favorite, no-good, terrible TV shows of 2024?
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024
The new episode digs into Sofia's backstory via flashbacks: It's revealed that Sofia was framed for seven murders by her no-good dad (Mark Strong), and instead of taking over the family like her father promised, she's arrested and admitted to Arkham.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 14 Oct. 2024
Tied to a no-good husband, far from her family and friends back in Kentucky, Bonnie was miserable.
—Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 25 July 2024
New York’s no-good, very bad property tax — the city’s single largest source of revenue, accounting for $4 of every $10 local government collects — just failed a test at the state’s highest court.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2024
To do that, Matty reinvents herself as an older lawyer whose dead no-good husband gambled away their money, forcing her to dust off her law degree to support herself and her teen grandson.
—Ronda Racha Penrice, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
But, on another station, R. & B.’s turn toward pop signalled another sound for Black music: Monica and Brandy’s tug-of-war over some no-good boy who wasn’t worth the time anyway; Mya and early Destiny’s Child.
—Hanif Abdurraqib, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2023
Craig Kilborn Then: The TV host stepped into the role of Mark, Nicole's no-good boyfriend who was both cheating on her and out to get Mitch.
—Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2023
Adjective
Resnick speaks on behalf of seething, antisocial comedians everywhere, explaining and dismissing his quirks with lots of memories childhood, such as a horrible, no-good, very bad Easter egg hunt.
—Brian Boone, Vulture, 18 June 2025
Watch my video discussion of these shows below: What were your least-favorite, no-good, terrible TV shows of 2024?
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024
The new episode digs into Sofia's backstory via flashbacks: It's revealed that Sofia was framed for seven murders by her no-good dad (Mark Strong), and instead of taking over the family like her father promised, she's arrested and admitted to Arkham.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 14 Oct. 2024
Tied to a no-good husband, far from her family and friends back in Kentucky, Bonnie was miserable.
—Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 25 July 2024
New York’s no-good, very bad property tax — the city’s single largest source of revenue, accounting for $4 of every $10 local government collects — just failed a test at the state’s highest court.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2024
To do that, Matty reinvents herself as an older lawyer whose dead no-good husband gambled away their money, forcing her to dust off her law degree to support herself and her teen grandson.
—Ronda Racha Penrice, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
I'mPhaedra Trethan, the terrible no-good baseball fan who was too tired to stay awake for all 18 innings of Game 3 of the World Series.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
But, on another station, R. & B.’s turn toward pop signalled another sound for Black music: Monica and Brandy’s tug-of-war over some no-good boy who wasn’t worth the time anyway; Mya and early Destiny’s Child.
—Hanif Abdurraqib, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2023
Craig Kilborn Then: The TV host stepped into the role of Mark, Nicole's no-good boyfriend who was both cheating on her and out to get Mitch.
—Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for no-good
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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They are also known to trick miners into quarrying worthless ore, following veins of what appears to be copper or silver, but when smelted, is found to be without value or, worse, poisonous.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Should the stock rise, the option expires worthless, and the investor keeps the premium.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Yet if the Dodgers are to be cast as villains from the Book of Samuel, Toronto brought to the fight far more than pebbles.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The family moved to Hollywood 10 years later, and Gene Lockhart worked steadily as a character actor, usually in avuncular roles, sometimes as a villain.—
NPR,
NPR,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The level of luxury she’s introduced with Barracuda is a stark contrast to the humbler quarters generally associated with backpackers and itinerant surf bums, which still make up the majority of Itacaré’s lodging options.—
David Amsden,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
-
And the oversized top has a split hem that falls below the bum.—
Melody Kazel,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The kids will love all the ways to make a splash here, which include waterslides, a lazy river, and Orlando’s only wave pool.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The decor is bright and inviting, the heated pool is perfect for a lazy afternoon, and patios offer quiet spots to sip coffee or a local wine.—
Maggie Downs,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Among the colorful cast of rogues, villains, queens and clergymen, Andre The Giant stands out as the young suitor’s kind-hearted but stupid brute.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Sep. 2025
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An extermination of the brutes in the Middle East, presided over by Obama’s successors, has been followed by a swift cancellation by Trumpian decree of the postracial age.—
Pankaj Mishra,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In Havana, beggars are ubiquitous.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Brando, the owner of an atoll in Tahiti, where his family dwelled, had become the beggar of Hollywood, who had to feed on crumbs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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To suggest that another candidate’s supporters are criminals — particularly when that candidate is, by all measures, poised to win at least a plurality of votes in the city — does not seem like a recipe for earning New Yorkers’ support.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Binance also lacked protocols — standard for financial services companies — to report transactions for money laundering risks, according to the Justice Department, and employees were well aware that such an oversight would invite criminals to the platform.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“No-good.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/no-good. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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