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

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

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

From Los Angeles Times

The devilish ne'er-do-well, who terrorised people and chased a gardener, according to a report from 1838, went on to inspire a novel named after him, written by Philip Pullman.

From BBC