# deadbeat

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈdɛdbiːt/ · frequency rank #38,355

## Definitions
1. A lazy or irresponsible person who is often unemployed, often depending upon wealthy or otherwise financially independent people for support.
2. A person who defaults on debts.

## 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.

## Common misspellings (11)
`daedbeat`, `ddeadbeat`, `deabdeat`, `deadbaet`, `deadbbeat`, `deadbeatt`, `deadbeta`, `deaddbeat`, `deadebat`, `dedabeat`, `edadbeat`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/deadbeat