Meaning

Good-for-nothing means useless, lazy, not worth anything. It can be an adjective, "a good-for-nothing son", or a noun, "that good-for-nothing". The picture is right there in the words: someone who is good for nothing at all. You will meet it in old movies, novels and family arguments, often from an angry parent.

About a person, it is a real insult and a harsh one. It doesn't criticize one mistake; it judges the whole person, and people remember it for years. It also sounds dated, like something from a grandparent's generation. Where you will hear it used safely today is about objects: a good-for-nothing printer, a good-for-nothing umbrella. Those can't be hurt. If you need to criticize a person, talk about the behavior instead: "You haven't helped with the dishes all week."

In a conversation

MateoGrace
  1. Mateo
  2. Grace
  3. Mateo
  4. Grace
  5. Mateo
  6. Grace

Say it out loud

Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.

Check yourself

1Which use of "good-for-nothing" is the safest today?
2Why does "good-for-nothing" hurt so much when said to a person?

Practice · 3 min

Listen, then repeat. Say "good-for-nothing" as one word with three quick beats, stress on "noth".

Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.