deadbeat

In everyday modern English, a "deadbeat" is usually a person who doesn't do what they should do—most often, someone who doesn't pay what they owe. It commonly points to money and support: unpaid rent, unpaid bills, unpaid loans, or a parent who avoids child support (as in "deadbeat dad"). The idea isn't just "they don't have the money"; it's "they won't pay" and they keep pushing the cost onto other people.

The word carries a lot of judgment and is rarely neutral. It suggests more than a one-time mistake: a pattern of dodging duties, making excuses, and leaving others to clean up the mess. You might read about "deadbeat parents" who avoid their parental duties, or describe someone as a "professional deadbeat" if they have a long history of dodging bills and responsibilities.

While it's mostly financial, "deadbeat" can also be used more broadly for someone who is consistently unreliable—someone who won't work, won't follow through, or regularly lets others down. (This broader use is less precise, and can sound unfair if it's just about being flaky.) It's also worth knowing that an older, less common meaning of "deadbeat" is "completely exhausted" (for example, "I'm deadbeat after that shift").

Because it's a harsh label, it's best reserved for situations where someone has shown a clear, repeated pattern—especially when you mean that the person is choosing to avoid their obligations, not simply struggling.