scumbag

noun

ˈskəm-ˌbag How to pronounce scumbag (audio)
Definition of scumbagnext
slang
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others don't romanticize that con artist, as she's nothing more than a scumbag who cheats the most vulnerable

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 scumbag Lately, with the return of the Y2K scumbag aesthetic, there was also a certain breed of alt Asian Baby Girl who loved Moon and unfailingly made efforts to impress her. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026 Some folks at the Michigan State Police got a similar scumbag text. — Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 5 May 2026 The definition of a lying, scumbag politician –– that is you. — Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2026 Ninety-nine percent of politicians are scumbags. — Tony Dokoupil, CBS News, 16 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for scumbag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scumbag
  1. jerk
  2. clown
  3. dog
Noun
  • The novel also takes an unsentimental look at Jamaica, a country that, let the Sandals ads tell it, is mostly pristine beaches, jerk chicken, and Bob Marley’s One Love on a perpetual loop.
    — Tembe Denton-Hurst, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The Ars OpenForum is a place for readers to ask questions, compare notes, argue (without being jerks to each other), and go down all sorts of rabbit holes.
    — Eric Bangeman, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of jerk
Noun
  • Target recently received backlash for 'offensive' Halloween costume This comes on the heels of Target apologizing in late August for a Halloween circus clown costume that critics said appeared to conjure Blackface and 19th-century minstrel shows.
    — Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Cam Schlittler, no stranger to Boston beef, used an emoji to call Flemming a clown on an Instagram post.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of clown
Noun
  • My therapy dog and I accompanied grieving families to ground zero in the days following the attacks.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Above and below the main narrative of the Bayeux Tapestry are two strips filled with ancient beasts, including tail-chasing dogs and tightly knotted swans.
    — John Phipps, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of dog

Browse Nearby Words

scum
scumbag
scumbags
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Cite this Entry

“Scumbag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scumbag. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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