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

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adjective

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

ne'er-do-well British  

noun

1. an improvident, irresponsible, or lazy person

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adjective

1. useless; worthless

   your ne'er-do-well schemes

Etymology

Origin of ne'er-do-well

First recorded in 1730–40

Example Sentences

Papi: Gracias for leaving Mexico as an 18-year-old ne’er-do-well with no chance of getting a green card through the proper channels and proving that anyone can succeed in this country if they have the drive.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 26, 2024

“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

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 • Feb. 9, 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

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