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

Example Sentences

Harley's a consistent ne'er-do-well with a heart of gold, a living fantasy of having it all in the most extreme way while being unencumbered by caring about what anyone other than your best friend thinks.

From Salon

Sometimes, the tag refers to a pariah, a ne'er-do-well, a killjoy, or an interloper, but it's always subjective.

From Salon

The Tampa Bay Times, his local newspaper, called Gaetz an "entitled ne'er-do-well."

From Salon

Hiring some ne'er-do-well relative is one of the ways rich and powerful people scratch each other's backs — and, not incidentally, ensure that the quasi-aristocracy of the one percent is perpetuated.

From Salon

Flynn gives Pascal a reckless impudence, all but reveling in his status as the ne'er-do-well boyfriend.

From Los Angeles Times