Ne'er-do-well

Quick meaning: Ne'er-do-well is a noun meaning A person who is up to no good; a rogue.

Meaning

A person who is up to no good; a rogue.

More Meanings

1. Showing the characteristics of a ne'er-do-well: indolent, worthless, or roguish.
2. A person without a means of support; an idle, worthless person; a loafer; a person who is ineffectual, unsuccessful, or completely lacking in merit; a good-for-nothing.

Example Sentences

So they have trooped forth to organize village down-and-outs and ne'er-do-wells into would-be combat units.

Think of the scorn with which Nicholas Nicklebys Madame Mantalini treats her ne'er-do-well' husband from whom she insists "on being separated and left to myself...."

Clara's father, a trollish ne'er-do-well who spent most of his time in brothels and saloons, would disappear for days and weeks at a stretch, leaving Clara and her mother to fend for themselves.

The brother who sought me out and would have redeemed me from the power of darkness, but he couldn't; and has robbed himself of joy and comfort in life to keep his ne'er-do-well brother from starvation; who has paid his debts over and taken him out of jail again and again.

Synonyms for ne'er-do-well

Depending on context, synonyms include good-for-nothing, nogoodnik, vagabond, never-do-well.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include scoundrel, villain, rascal, rotter, ruffian, rogue.

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