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
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Recent Examples of scumbag
Josh Safdie cannot resist an unrepentant scumbag protagonist.
—
Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Since then, he's played killers, cops, aliens, scumbags, and mean dads in films like Cop Land (1997), The Faculty (1998), and Walk the Line (2005), as well as series such as The X-Files (2000–2002), 1923 (2022–2025), and Peacemaker (2022–present).
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025
Once the province of bikers and sailors and scumbags, tattoos now appear on nearly one-third of all Americans.
—John Semley, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
There are two types of scumbag in the cybercrime world: those who pick on vulnerable individuals to perpetrate their fraud, and those who target healthcare in search of illicit financial gains.
—Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scumbag
Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Since then, he's played killers, cops, aliens, scumbags, and mean dads in films like Cop Land (1997), The Faculty (1998), and Walk the Line (2005), as well as series such as The X-Files (2000–2002), 1923 (2022–2025), and Peacemaker (2022–present).
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025
Once the province of bikers and sailors and scumbags, tattoos now appear on nearly one-third of all Americans.
—John Semley, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
There are two types of scumbag in the cybercrime world: those who pick on vulnerable individuals to perpetrate their fraud, and those who target healthcare in search of illicit financial gains.
—Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scumbag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scumbag
Noun
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For those with less-briny palates, a fine jerk chicken and a number of steak cuts are also available.—
Jesse Ashlock,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
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Mike’s older sister, Nancy (Natalia Dyer), is our entry point to Hawkins High; a pretty striver, she’s recently been distracted from academics by a fling with popular jerk Steve Harrington (Joe Keery).—
Judy Berman,
Time,
26 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Brewer depicts the world of music impersonators with a fair amount of affection, like the rodeo clowns of late 20th-century America.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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Cirque du Soleil is known for its shows featuring acrobats, athletes and clowns – all doing spectacular feats.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And, the dog attacked again after the owner failed to secure the dog in a separate room.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
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Another 24 dogs were found emaciated inside, the Lee County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scumbag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scumbag. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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