ne'er-do-well

noun

ˈner-du̇-ˌwel How to pronounce ne'er-do-well (audio)
Synonyms of ne'er-do-well
: an idle worthless person
ne'er-do-well adjective

Synonyms of ne'er-do-well

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Examples of ne'er-do-well in a Sentence

the local ne'er-do-wells seem to hang out on the street corners at all hours of the day and night
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After seeing the flare, the ne'er-do-wells steal Hunter's car instead of calling for help. — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026 Rickman's agent was flooded with offers, beseeching the actor to play more debonair ne'er-do-wells. — Clark Collis, EW.com, 25 May 2023 Who amongst us hasn't wanted to enjoy the spoils of a ne'er-do-well's criminal enterprises? — Chris Haslam, Wired News, 23 May 2025 Though Stinky Pete turns out to be a ne'er-do-well, Jessie is a valuable new pal who reveals her own trauma from being donated by her kid. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 19 June 2026 In April, the company had to temporarily shut down service in Chicago when ne'er-do-wells managed to fraudulently rent and then steal 100 Mercedes-Benz vehicles off the street. — Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1736, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ne'er-do-well was in 1736

Rhymes for ne'er-do-well

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Browse Nearby Words

ne'er-do-weel
ne'er-do-well
NEA
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Cite this Entry

“Ne'er-do-well.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ne%27er-do-well. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ne'er-do-well

noun
ˈne(ə)r-du̇-ˌwel, 
ˈna(ə)r-
: an idle worthless person
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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