do-nothing

American  

[doo-nuhth-ing] / ˈduˌnʌθ ɪŋ /

noun

• do-nothings
  plural

1. a person who chooses to do nothing; a lazy or worthless person.

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adjective

1. characterized by inability or unwillingness to initiate action, work toward a goal, assume responsibility, or the like.

   a do-nothing government.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• do-nothings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of do-nothing

First recorded in 1570–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

do-nothing do-nothings

The plan’s do-nothing nature was never so clearly articulated as when Modica approached the mic at a packed town meeting Monday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

As much as Forrest is a know-nothing, except when it comes to knowing what love is, he’s also a do-nothing when it comes to acknowledging systemic wrongdoing.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2024

It is the sound of do-nothing summer afternoons in the pre-internet portion of my youth.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2021

“I would say it was a do-nothing session. I think that’s a good name for the 80th Congress,” Truman replied.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 17, 2021

"I suspicioned it was that shiftless, do-nothing chap, Kelsey," replied the overseer.

From Marcy The Blockade Runner by George G. (George Gorgas) White

And we tell the liars, deniers, and do-nothings to shove off: There’s no future in naysaying.

From The Guardian ● May 22, 2019

Winkler’s Gene Cousineau, a self-serious buffoon long used to being surrounded by weightless do-nothings, mistakes Barry’s confession for an improvised monologue.

From Slate ● Mar. 29, 2019

We associate loafing with people wasting their lives; with harried parents shaking their sleeping teenage children out of bed; with do-nothings, doing nothing.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 23, 2018

To a heckler's shout that King George is a do-nothing and should be paid no more than do-nothings who are on the Dole.

From Time Magazine Archive

But La Queue cried that they were do-nothings, and that they were just amusing themselves.

From The Fête At Coqueville 1907 by L. G. Meyer