ne'er-do-well
Good-for-nothing layabout
A ne'er-do-well is a person who is idle, irresponsible, or generally useless—someone who will never amount to anything.
The term is old-fashioned and often affectionate rather than truly harsh: Her brother was a charming ne'er-do-well who drifted from job to job.
It functions as both noun and adjective: a ne'er-do-well uncle.
Dishonest, unscrupulous person
- rascalLovable troublemaker
- knaveDishonest, unprincipled person
- rapscallionMischievous person, usually endearing
- scampMischievous young person
blackguard · cad · reprobate · scalawag · miscreant · wastrel · good-for-nothing · black sheep
Homeless, aimless wanderer
- vagrantHomeless itinerant person
- hoboItinerant without fixed address
- trampWandering homeless person
- bumIdle vagrant
wanderer · transient · itinerant · drifter · loafer · idler · layabout · slouch
Reckless with money
- profligateRecklessly extravagant or dissolute
- wastrelReckless spender, idle person
- prodigalRashly wasteful spender
- squandererOne who wastes wealth
dissolute · improvident · debaucher · hedonist · gambler · bankrupt · insolvent · extravagant
Disreputable family member
- pariahRejected, shunned person
- outcastShunned, rejected person
- misfitOne who doesn't fit in
- rejectDismiss as unsuitable
disgrace · embarrassment · disappointment · failure · washout · dropout · castoff · persona non grata
scoundrel
Dishonest, unscrupulous person
- rascalLovable troublemaker
- knaveDishonest, unprincipled person
- rapscallionMischievous person, usually endearing
scamp · blackguard · cad · reprobate · scalawag · miscreant · wastrel · good-for-nothing · black sheep · layabout
vagabond
Homeless, aimless wanderer
bum · wanderer · transient · itinerant · drifter · loafer · idler · layabout · slouch · shirker
spendthrift
Reckless with money
- profligateRecklessly extravagant or dissolute
- wastrelReckless spender, idle person
- prodigalRashly wasteful spender
squanderer · dissolute · improvident · debaucher · hedonist · gambler · bankrupt · insolvent · extravagant · debtor
black sheep
Disreputable family member
reject · disgrace · embarrassment · disappointment · failure · washout · dropout · castoff · persona non grata · disowned
- roguesrogue, rogues, scoundrel, scoundrels, rascal
- scoundrelsscoundrel, rogue, knave, cad, villain
- troublemakerstroublemaker, rascals, delinquents, imps, brats
- layaboutsslacker, slackers, deadbeat, deadbeats, loafer
- old insultsknave, varlet, scoundrel, rogue, blackguard
- lazinesslaziness, sloth, idleness, apathy, lethargy
ne'er-do-wellsuccess
Favorable outcome attained
achiever · winner · high achiever · go-getter · overachiever
ne'er-do-wellparagon
Flawless model to emulate
pillar of society · pillar of the community · solid citizen · straight arrow · good egg
ne'er-do-wellhard worker
Industrious, dedicated person
workhorse · go-getter · breadwinner · provider · self-starter