ne'er-do-well

American  

[nair-doo-wel] / ˈnɛər duˌwɛl /

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 British  

noun

1. an improvident, irresponsible, or lazy person

---

adjective

1. useless; worthless

   your ne'er-do-well schemes

Etymology

Origin of ne'er-do-well

First recorded in 1730–40

Example Sentences

Gerald’s daughter, Emmy, 30, is a sheriff’s deputy working the town’s Fourth of July fireworks show while trying to shake off an argument with her ne’er-do-well husband.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 8, 2025

“There’s a whole ecosystem of ne’er-do-well kind of folks who are in this business,” he said.

From Reuters • Aug. 1, 2023

Once again, an Elizabethan cobbler has to bail out his ne’er-do-well sibling from the village stocks.

From Washington Post • Jun. 16, 2022

More than in 1964, the story of a talented woman punishing herself for loving a ne’er-do-well might prove hard to take.

From New York Times • Feb. 23, 2022

The subject is a little like a ne’er-do-well relative; it’s sometimes a shameful reminder, sometimes openly acknowledged, but always there, even, or especially, when it’s never mentioned.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times