as in bastards
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 scumbags
Soul Quest Overdrive takes a page out of Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s book and follows four anthropomorphic pieces of sports gear that are absolute scumbags.
—
Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Ninety-nine percent of politicians are scumbags.
—Tony Dokoupil, CBS News, 16 Nov. 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
Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Ninety-nine percent of politicians are scumbags.
—Tony Dokoupil, CBS News, 16 Nov. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scumbags
Noun
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In the new sequel, Grace teams with her estranged younger sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), as they’re hunted by four elite families full of murderous jerks scrambling to become the High Seat of a Council that controls the world.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
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Smarmy jerks can get obscenely wealthy in this country just by managing other people’s money.—
Gilad Edelman,
The Atlantic,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Performances and stunts are delivered by international acrobats and clowns during music and light shows.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
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How did clowns become a protest symbol?—
Janet W. Lee,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Federal authorities allege in an indictment that the images portrayed of dogs raised and offered for sale at the Giant German Shepherd Ranch in Hopkins County were a disguise for a place where, instead, cruelty and neglect were rampant.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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In the harsh afternoon sun, it was deserted except for dogs dozing on the rocks, and lovers seeking a shred of privacy.—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scumbags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scumbags. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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