shiftless
adjective
shift·less
ˈshif(t)-ləs 
1
: lacking in resourcefulness : inefficient
2
: lacking in ambition or incentive : lazy
shiftless freeloaders
shiftlessly
adverb
shiftlessness
noun
Examples of shiftless in a Sentence
shiftless spongers who never thought to do anything for themselves
Recent Examples on the Web
Just as Let’s Start Here tapped the Yves Tumor and Caroline Polachek regulars Justin Raisen and Patrick Wimberly to steer its lysergic pop, Bad Cameo solicits heady, shiftless synthesizer compositions to showcase different dimensions in Lil Yachty’s voice.
—
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 July 2024
Gill’s benevolent steadfastness is supported by his loving, tolerant wife (Shailene Woodley) but mocked by his shiftless brother (a very funny Pete Davidson), who urges him to cash in.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2023
The filmmaker wrote, directed, shot, edited, and starred in this essentially plotless Super 16 slice-of-life about a shiftless Austin dude who couch surfs across the state.
—A.a. Dowd, Chron, 4 Apr. 2023
But eventually the smart lower class people will have descendants who are in the upper class, while the shiftless upper class individuals of earlier generations will have descendants who move down the class hierarchy after exhausting their inheritances.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 24 June 2012
Their anger focused on a faceless government that neglected people like them and on supposedly shiftless immigrants and minorities who feasted at the public trough.
—Helen Epstein, The New York Review of Books, 10 Mar. 2020
Stereotypes of unemployed, shiftless man-children playing X-Box in their parents’ basement aren’t really borne out by the data.
—Matt Levin, The Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2019
Among them was Boy (2010), a poignant coming-of-age dramedy about a kid whose obsession with Michael Jackson offers him an escape from dealing with his shiftless father.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 31 Oct. 2018
Last year, Buffalo Wild Wings expressed concern about millennials, and what those shiftless kids could do to the chicken-wing-and-plasma-screen trade.
—Jason Gay, WSJ, 13 Aug. 2018
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.
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 July 2024
Gill’s benevolent steadfastness is supported by his loving, tolerant wife (Shailene Woodley) but mocked by his shiftless brother (a very funny Pete Davidson), who urges him to cash in.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2023
The filmmaker wrote, directed, shot, edited, and starred in this essentially plotless Super 16 slice-of-life about a shiftless Austin dude who couch surfs across the state.
—A.a. Dowd, Chron, 4 Apr. 2023
But eventually the smart lower class people will have descendants who are in the upper class, while the shiftless upper class individuals of earlier generations will have descendants who move down the class hierarchy after exhausting their inheritances.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 24 June 2012
Their anger focused on a faceless government that neglected people like them and on supposedly shiftless immigrants and minorities who feasted at the public trough.
—Helen Epstein, The New York Review of Books, 10 Mar. 2020
Stereotypes of unemployed, shiftless man-children playing X-Box in their parents’ basement aren’t really borne out by the data.
—Matt Levin, The Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2019
Among them was Boy (2010), a poignant coming-of-age dramedy about a kid whose obsession with Michael Jackson offers him an escape from dealing with his shiftless father.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 31 Oct. 2018
Last year, Buffalo Wild Wings expressed concern about millennials, and what those shiftless kids could do to the chicken-wing-and-plasma-screen trade.
—Jason Gay, WSJ, 13 Aug. 2018
Dictionary Entries Near shiftless
Cite this Entry
“Shiftless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shiftless. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shiftless
adjective
shift·less
ˈshif(t)-ləs
: lacking in ambition : lazy
shiftlessly
adverb
shiftlessness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share