: marked by inactivity or failure to make positive progress
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
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
Jurors also convicted him on two counts of bribery and another related to payments funneled to Madigan associates for do-nothing ComEd subcontracts.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2025
In the political messaging battle, though, whether the assessment of a do-nothing Congress and Speaker is true or not is beside the point.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 20 May 2025
Trump and his do-nothing Republicans face 'one big, beautiful' bust of a budget
Rock Creek is full of feces?
—Chris Brennan, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Jurors also convicted him on two counts of bribery and one Travel Act violation related to payments funneled to Madigan associates for do-nothing ComEd subcontracts.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2025
Continue reading … OPINION DAVID MARCUS – Why Schumer's do-nothing approach makes perfect sense for Democrats.
—Fox News, 19 Mar. 2025
Many of these new candidates will be ordinary citizens who are fed up with the feckless and do-nothing politics of the Democratic establishment.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
Christy Merrick, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Siri needs a facelift Apple has apparently been riding the do-nothing train for 14 years.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2025
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Noun
But the momentum picked up speed in July 2020 when the U.S. attorney’s office reached a deferred prosecution agreement with ComEd, which acknowledged trying to influence Madigan by showering his pals and associates with do-nothing contracts, legal work and a seat on the ComEd board of directors.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
Jurors also convicted him on two counts of bribery and another related to payments funneled to Madigan associates for do-nothing ComEd subcontracts.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2025
In the political messaging battle, though, whether the assessment of a do-nothing Congress and Speaker is true or not is beside the point.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 20 May 2025
Trump and his do-nothing Republicans face 'one big, beautiful' bust of a budget
Rock Creek is full of feces?
—Chris Brennan, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Jurors also convicted him on two counts of bribery and one Travel Act violation related to payments funneled to Madigan associates for do-nothing ComEd subcontracts.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2025
Continue reading … OPINION DAVID MARCUS – Why Schumer's do-nothing approach makes perfect sense for Democrats.
—Fox News, 19 Mar. 2025
Many of these new candidates will be ordinary citizens who are fed up with the feckless and do-nothing politics of the Democratic establishment.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
Christy Merrick, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Siri needs a facelift Apple has apparently been riding the do-nothing train for 14 years.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Do-nothing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/do-nothing. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.
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