ne'er-do-well

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A teen, Karin, is left by her ne’er-do-well widowed father in the care of her grandfather at a temple.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2024

“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

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 • Feb. 9, 2023

The tenor Nicky Spence is a robust, ne’er-do-well Siegmund; Emma Bell’s strong yet mellow soprano, full through its range, vibrates with emotion as Sieglinde; the bass Brindley Sherratt is a brooding, bruising Hunding.

From New York Times • Nov. 21, 2021

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