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.

It’s a song about a ne’er-do-well who can’t help messing up, and Mr. Kahan wishes the best for him—hoping his greatest fears are earthly threats like personal safety and cancer and not eternal damnation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

“What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?” focuses on Chip, a ne’er-do-well scion of a wealthy New Hampshire banking family where “everything had been decided for him long before he was born.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

“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