never-do-well

nev·er-do-well
UK/ˈnɛv.ə.duːˌwɛl/Canada, US/ˈnɛv.əɹ.duˌwɛl/Australia, New Zealand/ˈnev.ə.dʉːˌwel/New Zealand/ˈnev.ɐ.dʉːˌwel/

A form of ne'er-do-well — 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.

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Meanings

nounnever-do-well (plural never-do-wells)

plural never-do-wells

  1. NortheasternUSalternativeAlternative form of ne'er-do-well.
adjectivenever-do-well (comparative more never-do-well, superlative most never-do-well)

comparative more never-do-well · superlative most never-do-well

  1. NortheasternUSalternativeAlternative form of ne'er-do-well.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
ne'er-do-well

Origin

From never (adverb) + do (verb) + well (adverb). First attested in 1664.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

never-do-well. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/never-do-well

MLA

“never-do-well.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/never-do-well. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “never-do-well,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/never-do-well.

Source: never-do-well on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.