scum of the earth
Society's worst people
Scum of the earth is a harsh condemnation designating people regarded as the lowest, most despicable members of society.
The phrase draws on the image of scum as the filthy residue that floats to the surface of stagnant water—worthless material to be skimmed off and discarded.
It often appears in expressions of contempt or moral outrage: He called the criminals the scum of the earth.
The phrase can be used seriously or with ironic affection among friends.
- riffraffDisreputable or undesirable people
- low lifeDisreputable, unsavory person
- ragtagDisorganized and mismatched
- dregsResidue at bottom
- lumpenproletariatDegraded non-working poor
bottom feeder · trash · white trash · pariah · social outcast · miscreant · untouchable · reprobate · lowest of the low · leper · villain · chaff · filth · garbage · degenerate · rascal · depraved · hateful
scum of the earthsalt of the earth
Fundamentally decent, reliable people
saint · angel · hero · pillar of the community · humanitarian
scum of the earthcream of the crop
The very best
elite · crème de la crème · quality · upper crust · nobility
scum, earth, scummy, scummed, scumming, earthy, earthly, earthen, unearthly