ne'er-do-well 1 of 2

as in lazy
having no ambition, success, or value to society the ne'er-do-well denizens of a seedy bar near the docks

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ne'er-do-well

2 of 2

noun

Examples 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 ne'er-do-well
Noun
In April, the company had to temporarily shut down service in Chicago when ne'er-do-wells managed to fraudulently rent and then steal 100 Mercedes-Benz vehicles off the street. Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2019 Oct 10, 2024 Gulf Coast Reporter Chris Gray is Chron's Gulf Coast Reporter, covering tourism and tourists, energy and the environment, overachievers and ne'er-do-wells: compelling stories from across the upper Texas coast, but with a deep focus on Galveston's rich history and culture. Chris Gray, Chron, 10 Oct. 2024 Rickman's agent was flooded with offers, beseeching the actor to play more debonair ne'er-do-wells. Clark Collis, EW.com, 25 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ne'er-do-well
Adjective
  • As a result, the character’s transformation is too easy, the performance a little too lazy and self-satisfied.
    Tim Grierson, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2024
  • Such seas as that, rolling toward shore in lazy, oily swells a quarter of a mile apart, pose no danger to small craft in deep water.
    Orval C. Johnson, Outdoor Life, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • This was all done with a bum wrist, which posed as an inconvenience to him at times.
    Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2024
  • Tommy, left to prosecute the case against Rusty, has inherited a bum gig.
    Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 26 July 2024
Adjective
  • The black comedy crime film is written by Niki Sheldrake and tells the story of Colin and Stanley, two good-for-nothing brothers who are faced with the repayment of their dead father’s debt to a notorious loan shark named Maggie.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 May 2024
  • Yet later this year up to 40 healthy Australian volunteers may begin receiving infusions of the supposedly good-for-nothing molecule.
    ByMitch Leslie, science.org, 8 June 2023
Noun
  • Extra hooks allow the bag to transform into a trapezoidal hobo shape.
    Joelle Diderich, WWD, 19 Sep. 2024
  • There’s a lot to love about Coach’s viral shoulder bag: the modern hobo style, the soft leather, the distinct shape.
    Lindy Segal, Glamour, 13 Sep. 2024
Adjective
  • Aaron Ryder, a producer of Arrival, was quarantining at a hotel in Montreal, watching an army of amateur day traders drive up the value of a supposedly worthless stock.
    Simon van Zuylen-Wood, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024
  • As is so often the case, the prediction of macro is rendered as worthless as the prediction that the world is flat.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • However, rumors that the derelict mansion in the video was Jordan’s have since been debunked.
    Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 19 Sep. 2024
  • Maine’s housing stock skews old, with high rates of derelict and seasonally vacant properties.
    Donovan Lynch, NBC News, 4 Aug. 2024
Adjective
  • Moving right along, Rufus (Michael Maggi), the no-good gambler who lost his wife, Salena’s, shares in the Blue faction, gets put to work by Berenice, Titus’s Judean queen-mistress-whatever.
    Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 18 July 2024
  • The new episode digs into Sofia's backstory via flashbacks: It's revealed that Sofia was framed for seven murders by her no-good dad (Mark Strong), and instead of taking over the family like her father promised, she's arrested and admitted to Arkham.
    Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 14 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • The beggars, widows, and families with sick relatives who once made a pilgrimage to the gates of the parliament building in the Green Zone to beg lawmakers for help are now barred from entry.
    Ned Parker, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2012
  • All the beggars at the intersection of Lee Road and the off-ramp of I-4 are completely out of hand.
    Ticked Off, Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near ne'er-do-well

Cite this Entry

“Ne'er-do-well.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ne%27er-do-well. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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