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no-good slacker

no-good slacker

8.4
A person who is very lazy and not responsible
  • noun
  • Offensive
translation icon : vago
  • Everyone in the office thinks he's a no-good slacker who never gets anything done.

Examples

  • She refused to date a no-good slacker and wanted someone with ambition.

  • After years of being called a no-good slacker, he finally decided to prove everyone wrong.

  • Don't be a no-good slacker!

  • He is such a no-good slacker.

  • Everyone in the office thinks he's a no-good slacker who never gets anything done.

  • After years of being called a no-good slacker, he finally decided to prove everyone wrong.

  • She refused to date a no-good slacker and wanted someone with ambition.

Synonyms

bum
vsno-good slacker
  • Offensive
142 7.2

A lazy person who others dislike for not working

is stronger, accusing total irresponsibility and having no positive qualities
slacker
vsno-good slacker
  • Offensive
33 4.6

A person who avoids work and often does very little

is worse, conveying extreme laziness plus total lack of good qualities
good-for-nothing
vsno-good slacker
  • Offensive
16 7.1

A person who is lazy and does nothing useful

is harsher, adding clear irresponsibility and complete lack of worth
do-nothing
vsno-good slacker
  • Offensive
9 7.0

A person who avoids work and makes little effort

is stronger, indicating complete irresponsibility and total worthlessness
ne'er-do-well
vsno-good slacker
  • Offensive
5 9.9

A person who is lazy, irresponsible, and does not try to succeed

is more extreme in fault and lacks any positive qualities
loafer
vsno-good slacker
  • Offensive
5 5.8

A person who avoids work and does very little

is harsher, implying utter irresponsibility and zero redeeming qualities
idler
vsno-good slacker
  • Offensive
2 7.0

A person who avoids work and does very little

is more extreme, meaning total irresponsibility and no positive traits
goof-off
vsno-good slacker
  • Informal
2 8.6

A person who avoids work and wastes time

is harsher, stressing deep irresponsibility and absence of any value
lazybones
vsno-good slacker
  • Offensive
1 7.2

A person who avoids work and prefers to rest

is more extreme, suggesting moral failing and no positive qualities
bludger
vsno-good slacker
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who avoids work and does very little

is more severe, showing utter irresponsibility and no redeeming value
slack Alice
vsno-good slacker
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who is often lazy and late finishing tasks

is more extreme, implying complete irresponsibility and no redeeming traits

Antonyms

293 3.5

Able to do a lot and get useful results

78 1.1

Putting a lot of effort into work or study

How Lazy

no-good slacker
  • Offensive
8.4
deadbeat
  • Offensive
48 7.6
slacker
  • Offensive
33 4.6
lazy
355 1.0
idler
  • Offensive
2 7.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

no-good + slacker

The compound is compositionally transparent: 'no-good' conveys 'not good/worthless' and 'slacker' denotes a person who avoids work, so the combined meaning 'a worthless or extremely lazy person' is directly inferable from the parts. This negative adjective + noun pattern is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would very likely understand this MWE.

Etymology

The compound no-good slacker joins no-good, meaning 'useless', and slacker, meaning someone who 'avoids work'. So, picture a person who does nothing and gives no help, and that's why the phrase means 'an extremely lazy and irresponsible person'.