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.
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
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 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
