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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Bristly rose slug The bristly rose slug is the most common rose slug in California and is the larva of a sawfly.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2025
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The slugs are attracted to the yeasty odor and drown.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Ukrainian special forces and the intelligence directorate in Kyiv were watching with at least one surveillance drone.—
David Axe,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Vandenberg security forces used detection systems at the base to track the drone to a park close to 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) away, where law enforcement found Zhou attempting to hide the drone in his jacket, a court affidavit states.—
Brett Tingley,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But, somehow, life finds a way: The seafloor was crawling with critters of all shapes and sizes, from centuries-old sponges and cup corals to octopuses, snails, worms, sea spiders, icefish and even a rare giant phantom jellyfish.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
21 Mar. 2025
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Mount Helix takes its name from the helix aspersa, a European garden snail that a Swiss biologist discovered in the area in 1872.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 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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Dreux has entrusted Alyssa with delivering Uche’s money before the first of the month—but instead, Alyssa has asked her layabout, freeloading boyfriend Keshawn (Joshua David Neal) to put the money in Uche’s hands.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 Apr. 2025
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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
Noun
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Keep scrolling to shop more cropped jackets, breezy skirts, tote bags, and slingback loafers inspired by Naomi Watts now.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
People.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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Look no further than these vintage-style loafers that will give your outfit classic flair thanks to their timeless design.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deadbeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadbeat. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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