: marked by inactivity or failure to make positive progress
Synonyms
Examples of do-nothing in a Sentence
Noun
the new boss quickly figured out who the do-nothings were and fired them
he indiscriminately dismisses the state legislators as a bunch of do-nothings who live at the taxpayers' expense
Recent Examples on the Web
Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 17 June 2024
There was Bhanu, the simpering do-nothing who was eventually put out of his misery but shouldn’t have been cast in the first place.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 23 May 2024
But is there still a risk of a do-nothing year on climate like last year?
—Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 23 Apr. 2024
Don’t let the naysayers and do-nothings fool you: this is a community that wants opportunity, growth, and a chance.
—Marie Mirville-Shahzada, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2024
The recent history — that is, the years since President Biden took office — haven’t exactly been do-nothing.
—Dan Rodricks, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2024
As for Xi’s refusal to do much in response to economic troubles in China, the view here is that his do-nothing stance reveals a level of sound economic knowledge that isn’t always evident in his critics.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
Creative job crafting and simple nudges, such as encouraging do-nothing zone-out breaks, could help to alleviate the demands that modern workers experience that deplete their resources and block their recovery for feeling fresh and ready to engage with work the following day.
—Melissa A. Wheeler, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024
How many of those attacks are attributed to Harris’s do-nothing legislative agenda?
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 2 Feb. 2024
Noun
Will a do-nothing Congress? Baltimore Sun editorial writers offer opinions and analysis on news and issues relevant to readers.
—Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 17 June 2024
There was Bhanu, the simpering do-nothing who was eventually put out of his misery but shouldn’t have been cast in the first place.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 23 May 2024
But is there still a risk of a do-nothing year on climate like last year?
—Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 23 Apr. 2024
Don’t let the naysayers and do-nothings fool you: this is a community that wants opportunity, growth, and a chance.
—Marie Mirville-Shahzada, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2024
The recent history — that is, the years since President Biden took office — haven’t exactly been do-nothing.
—Dan Rodricks, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2024
As for Xi’s refusal to do much in response to economic troubles in China, the view here is that his do-nothing stance reveals a level of sound economic knowledge that isn’t always evident in his critics.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
Creative job crafting and simple nudges, such as encouraging do-nothing zone-out breaks, could help to alleviate the demands that modern workers experience that deplete their resources and block their recovery for feeling fresh and ready to engage with work the following day.
—Melissa A. Wheeler, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024
How many of those attacks are attributed to Harris’s do-nothing legislative agenda?
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 2 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'do-nothing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near do-nothing
Cite this Entry
“Do-nothing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/do-nothing. Accessed 1 Jul. 2024.
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