No-good — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈnō-ˈgu̇d/ (adjective) /ˈnō-ˌgu̇d/ (noun)

Meaning & Definition of No-good

No-good (adjective)

  1. having no worth, virtue, use, or chance of success

No-good (noun)

  1. a no-good person or thing

No-good (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having no ambition, success, or value to society

    "tired of supporting their spendthrift, no-good daughter, who has yet to find a job commensurate with her alleged abilities"

    similar: good-for-nothing, ne'er-do-well, no-account
    related: idle, indolent, lazy, shiftless, slothful, unambitious, useless, worthless
    near: ambitious, diligent, enterprising, industrious

  2. having no usefulness

    "that no-good chair should be thrown away"

    similar: chaffy, empty, junky, null, vain, valueless, worthless
    related: base, cheap, cheapjack, duff (British), inferior, lousy, low-grade, second-rate, bad, defective, dud, flawed, imperfect, substandard, unsatisfactory, deficient, inadequate, insufficient, unacceptable
    opposite: useful, valuable, worthy
    near: invaluable, precious, priceless, cherished, esteemed, prized, treasured, choice, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, special

No-good (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a mean, evil, or unprincipled person

    "neighbors remembered the killer as having been an utter no-good since childhood"

    similar: baddie, beast, brute, caitiff, devil, evildoer, fiend, heavy, hound, knave, meanie, miscreant, monster, nazi, rapscallion, rascal, reprobate, rogue, savage, scalawag, scamp, scapegrace, scoundrel, varlet, villain, wretch
    related: villainess, blackguard, criminal, crook, culprit, felon, lawbreaker, malefactor, offender, perp, perpetrator, transgressor, sinner, trespasser, wrongdoer, cad, heel, serpent, snake, viper, bandit, bravo, desperado, outlaw, con, convict, jailbird, assassin, cutthroat, gangster, goon, gunman, hoodlum, hooligan, racketeer, ruffian, thug, rough, rowdy, tough, loser, lowlife, ne'er-do-well, stinker, trash
    near: angel, innocent, saint, hero

  2. an idle worthless person

    "we'll have to pay more than minimum wage for the job if we expect to get people other than no-goods"

    similar: bum, derelict, do-nothing, good-for-nothing, ne'er-do-well, no-account, no-goodnik, slacker, vagrant
    related: hobo, sundowner (Australian), tramp, vagabond, drifter, roamer, transient, beggar, panhandler, dodger, goldbrick, shirker, gamine, ragamuffin, urchin, waif, drone, idler, lazybones, loafer, slouch, slug, sluggard, down-and-out, indigent, pauper
    near: success, winner

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for No-good

The most common words with a similar meaning to No-good:

good-for-nothing, ne'er-do-well, no-account, chaffy, empty, junky, null, vain, valueless, worthless, baddie, beast, brute, caitiff, devil, evildoer, fiend, heavy, hound, knave, meanie, miscreant, monster, nazi, rapscallion, rascal, reprobate, rogue, savage, scalawag, scamp, scapegrace, scoundrel, varlet, villain, wretch, bum, derelict, do-nothing, no-goodnik

Antonyms & Opposite Words for No-good

Words with the opposite meaning of No-good:

useful, valuable, worthy

Related Words for No-good

idle, indolent, lazy, shiftless, slothful, unambitious, useless, base, cheap, cheapjack, duff, inferior, lousy, low-grade, second-rate, bad, defective, dud, flawed, imperfect, substandard, unsatisfactory, deficient, inadequate, insufficient, unacceptable, villainess, blackguard, criminal, crook

Near Antonyms of No-good

ambitious, diligent, enterprising, industrious, invaluable, precious, priceless, cherished, esteemed, prized, treasured, choice, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, special, angel, innocent, saint, hero, success, winner

Origin & Etymology of No-good

First known use: 1904

Frequently Asked Questions about No-good

What does "No-good" mean?

"No-good" means having no worth, virtue, use, or chance of success. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: having no worth, virtue, use, or chance of success. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "No-good"?

Other words for "No-good" include good-for-nothing, ne'er-do-well, no-account, chaffy, empty, junky, null and vain. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "No-good" you intend.

What are different ways to say "No-good"?

There are 138 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "No-good". Common alternatives include good-for-nothing, ne'er-do-well, no-account, chaffy, empty, junky, null, vain, valueless and worthless.

What is the opposite of "No-good"?

Antonyms of "No-good" include useful, valuable and worthy. Near antonyms include ambitious, diligent, enterprising and industrious.

How do you use "No-good" in a sentence?

Examples of "No-good" in a sentence: "tired of supporting their spendthrift, no-good daughter, who has yet to find a job commensurate with her alleged abilities"; "that no-good chair should be thrown away"; "neighbors remembered the killer as having been an utter no-good since childhood".

Is "No-good" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"No-good" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "No-good"?

"No-good" is pronounced /ˈnō-ˈgu̇d/ as an adjective and /ˈnō-ˌgu̇d/ as a noun.

What is the origin of the word "No-good"?

First known use: 1904.