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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ne'er-do-well

Charlie, meanwhile, sets out to ensure that Lady Jemima’s suitor, the ne’er-do-well Thomas Smythe-Roberts, is revealed as a womanizing cad.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

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

They can be summed up briefly: the ne’er-do-well son, the nosy spinster, the bitter ignored daughter, the bullying father.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 1, 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

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