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
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
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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Instead, the Engel-Jackson family is more run-of-the-mill awful — a recognizable pack of self-serving jerks more focused on the appearance of cheer than any real kindness.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
12 Dec. 2025
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That rich people sure can be easily manipulable jerks?—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Nov. 2025
Noun
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There are other quirky attractions here, too, like the Clown Motel, where horror enthusiasts can sleep among a collection of more than 6,500 clowns.—
Cailey Rizzo,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Jan. 2026
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After his parents divorced, his mother took 5-year-old Salazar with her, moving from place to place around South America, and performing as clowns to make money.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In 2022, Japanese researchers found that dogs produced tears when reuniting with their humans.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Ending the retail sales of dogs is a crucial way to reduce demand from puppy mills.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scumbags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scumbags. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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