Word
deadbeat
Phoneticsdead·beat, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdɛdˌbit/
UK/dˈɛdbiːt/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person who does not pay their bills or debts. It is a rude word for someone who is lazy and always in trouble with the law.
n. a person who habitually fails to pay debts or bills; a lazy, irresponsible person.
Examples
“He is a deadbeat who never pays his rent on time.”
“The landlord threatened to call the police after the deadbeat refused to leave the apartment or pay the overdue bills.”
Examples
simple
“He is a deadbeat who never pays his rent on time.”
contextual
“The landlord threatened to call the police after the deadbeat refused to leave the apartment or pay the overdue bills.”
Real-World Examples
“Sure, there’s much on the drugs and booze and the inadvisable face tattoo, and even the son (Miguel, now 24) who calls his dad a “deadbeat”.” Etymology
From dead + beat. As an adjective, of a person, to be exhausted, first use appears c. the 1820s. During the American Civil War, it also became a derogatory adjective, in the sense of "a person that defaults on their debts or avoids responsibilities" and "sponger", "vagabond". This sense dates from c. 1863. Possibly related to good for nothing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. deadbeat dad
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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