ne'er-do-well

[ nair-doo-wel ]

noun

1. an idle, worthless person; a person who is ineffectual, unsuccessful, or completely lacking in merit; good-for-nothing.

   Synonyms: wastrel, loafer, idler

adjective

1. worthless; ineffectual; good-for-nothing.

ne'er-do-well

noun

1. an improvident, irresponsible, or lazy person

adjective

1. useless; worthless

   your ne'er-do-well schemes

Word History and Origins

Origin of ne'er-do-well¹

First recorded in 1730–40