as in slug
a lazy person
he snapped instructions to the deadbeats who were standing around watching the work pile up
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Recent Examples of deadbeat
Hulu 11 of 15 Shameless (2011–2021) Shameless centers around the impoverished Gallagher clan, whose deadbeat patriarch Frank (William H. Macy) leaves his six children to fend for themselves, with the oldest, Fiona (Emmy Rossum), doing her best to support the family.
—
Kevin Jacobsen, EW.com, 11 Sep. 2024
Advertisement When some of the families later sued, authorities often used information from those interviews to portray the deceased as mentally ill criminals or deadbeat parents while defending their agencies in court.
—Brian Howey, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2024
Here's an idea: Don't be a deadbeat and do it yourself!
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 30 July 2024
The Learning Curve The stigma over being a stay-at-home dad holds everyone back
Too many people still view stay-at-home dads as feckless deadbeats, but their acceptance is an important step toward gender equality.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for deadbeat
Kevin Jacobsen, EW.com, 11 Sep. 2024
Advertisement When some of the families later sued, authorities often used information from those interviews to portray the deceased as mentally ill criminals or deadbeat parents while defending their agencies in court.
—Brian Howey, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2024
Here's an idea: Don't be a deadbeat and do it yourself!
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 30 July 2024
The Learning Curve The stigma over being a stay-at-home dad holds everyone back
Too many people still view stay-at-home dads as feckless deadbeats, but their acceptance is an important step toward gender equality.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for deadbeat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadbeat
Noun
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However, the size doesn’t seem to matter for this slug.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Arion ater slugs are especially damaging to crops of strawberries, potatoes, parsley and beans.—
Suzy Khimm,
NBC News,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Search efforts involved 15-20 police dogs, drones, boats and additional rescue teams who covered the surrounding area on foot, Breault says.—
Sam Gillette,
People.com,
22 Mar. 2025
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Meanwhile, a massive blaze at an oil depot in the Krasnodar region has continued to rage since it was hit by a Ukrainian drone attack late Wednesday.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
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After receiving the snails from local snail farms, the small creatures were placed inside machines where they were sprayed with an acidic solution that caused the snails to excrete their slime.—
Sam Delgado,
Vox,
17 Mar. 2025
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Columbia plays at a snail’s pace, averaging 68.4 possessions per 40 minutes.—
Michael Waterloo,
The Athletic,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
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This was all done with a bum wrist, which posed as an inconvenience to him at times.—
Hannah Kirby,
Journal Sentinel,
4 Aug. 2024
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Tommy, left to prosecute the case against Rusty, has inherited a bum gig.—
Vinson Cunningham,
The New Yorker,
26 July 2024
Noun
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In Yancheng, in eastern China, the police have checked karaoke bars, rental housing and hotels for potential layabouts.—
Vivian Wang,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2025
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Republicans consistently slander disability recipients as malingerers and layabouts.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Layer with a crisp button-down, and complete the look with classic loafers or pointed-toe heels.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Essence,
19 Mar. 2025
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Dress it up with trousers and loafers, or go for a casual look with blue jeans and sneakers.—
Isabel Garcia,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deadbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadbeat. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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